i-fc .
University of California Berkeley
THE PETER AND ROSELL HARVEY
MEMORIAL FUND
TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES
A TOUR THROUGH THE
tate gift Carah
BY
ALFRED FALK
" With thoughts so qualified as your charities shall
Best instruct you, measure me."
Winter's Tale.
fflfeorge l&ohertson
MELBOURNE, SYDNEY, AND ADELAIDE
MDCCCLXXVII
MELBOURNE:
PRINTED BY WALKER, MAY, AND CO.,
9 MACKILLOP STREET.
MRS. FANNY FALK,
THESE SKETCHES
ARE AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED.
January, 1877.
PREFACE.
THE following pages were written on board the good
ship Sobraon, during her last trip from London, to Mel
bourne j with the sole intention and purpose of relieving
the tedium, and breaking the monotony, incidental to a
long sea-voyage.
The writer has been induced to publish them; it
having been represented to him, that they may be of
service to a large number of people, who select the
American route, by which to proceed to the home
country.
He has aimed at accuracy, and he thinks the facts and
figures given, will generally be found correct.
He has attempted to describe American manners, and
customs, impartially, and without giving offence to any
Vlll PREFACE.
citizen of the Great Republic, into whose hands this
book may fall. If he has not extenuated what appeared
to him as faults, he has on the other hand, given promi
nence to the many admirable traits, and institutions, that
must be apparent to visitors to that great country ; and
in conclusion he can only say, that were he not an
Englishman he would wish to be an American.
A. F.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, AND THE FIJI ISLANDS.
PAGE
DEPARTURE from Sydney Three Kings' Islands Waitemata
Harbour Manukau Harbour Description of Auckland
Maories Kandavu Luxuriant Vegetation Fiji Islands
History Natives Dwellings Dress Levuka Coral
Reef Passing the iSoth Meridian Boat Lowering Ap
paratus Boat Accommodation of Passenger Ships
" Crossing the Line" Arrival at Honolulu ... ... I
CHAPTER II.
HONOLULU AND THE HAWAIIAN ARCHIPELAGO.
THE Sandwich Islands Decrease of Population Natives
Position of the Islands Products Government Liquor
Laws Restriction of the Sale of Opium Appearance of
Honolulu Harbour Description of the Town Taro
Plant "Poi" Nuuanu Valley "Pali" Departure from
Honolulu Arrival at San Francisco ... ... _,_ !3
CHAPTER III.
SAN FRANCISCO AND SACRAMENTO CITY.
DESCRIPTION of the City History Streets Hotels
Public Buildings Chinese Quarter Chinese Gambling
X CONTENTS.
PAGE
Houses Chinese Theatres High Cost of Commodities
Sunday Observance Schools Suburbs Cliff House
Theatres Tram Cars Commerce Luggage Arrange
ments Description of Sacramento Chinese Question ... 22
CHAPTER IV.
CROSSING THE SIERRAS SALT LAKE CITY.
SLEEPING Cars Snow Sheds Trestle Bridges Shoshone
Indians Great American Desert Ogden Wahsatch
Mountains Salt Lake Salt Lake City Tabernacle
Territory of Utah The Mormons Their Religion Their
Account of its Origin Gentile Account Church Govern
ment History Service at the Tabernacle Notes on
Mormonism ... ... ... ... ... 37
CHAPTER V.
OVER THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS-CHICAGO.
DEVIL'S GATE Weber Canon Devil's Slide Echo Canon
Castle Rocks Plains Sherman Prairie Dog Villages
Omaha Bridge over the Missouri Burlington History
of Chicago Great Fire Fine Position Water Supply
Streets Parks Public Buildings Grain Trade
Cattle Trade Pork Packing Hotels ... ... 61
CHAPTER VI.
DETROIT THE NIAGARA FALLS.
THE City of Detroit Campus Martins Commerce Vicinity
Journey to Clifton Position and Description of the
Falls Bridge over the Rapids Under the Falls Bath
Island Goat Island Lunar Island "Three Sisters "-
Cave of the Winds Suspension Bridge Whirlpool
Rapids Whirlpool Lewiston ... ... ... ^6
CONTENTS. XI
CHAPTER VII.
TORONTO AND TRIP DOWN THE ST. LAWRENCE.
PAGE
DESCRIPTION of Toronto University Queen's Park
Public Buildings Sunday Observance Difference
between the People of Canada and the United States
Kingston Emperor of Brazil The Thousand Islands-
Timber Rafts Rapids of Long Sault Lake St. Francis
Cedar Rapids La Chine Canals ... ... ... 86
CHAPTER VIII.
MONTREAL, QUEBEC, AND OTTAWA.
POSITION of Montreal Victoria Bridge Mont Real Descrip
tion of the City Commerce Appearance of Quebec
Defences General Features of the City Great Fire
Plains of Abraham Falls of the Montmorency Fall of
the Chaudiere Return to Montreal Position of Ottawa
Houses of Parliament Vicinity Slow Progress of
Canada Want of Energy in Canadians Notes on Emi
gration ... ... ... ... ... ... 94
CHAPTER IX.
GENERAL REMARKS ON CANADA AND THE
COLONIAL QUESTION.
PROVINCES of the Dominion Government Population
Imports and Exports Treatment of Indians Loyalty of
the People Withdrawal of the Troops Ignorance in
England on Colonial Affairs Independence of the
Colonies versus Consolidation of the Empire Objects of
a Customs' Union . ..no
Xll CONTENTS.
CHAPTER X.
LAKES CHAMPLAIN AND GEORGE, SARATOGA,
TROY, AND ALBANY.
PAGE
PLATTSBURG Lake Scenery Fort Ticoncleroga Rogers'
Slide Narrows Caldwell N eighbourhood Glen's Falls
Saratoga Hotels Springs Life at Saratoga Saratoga
Lake The City of Troy Position of Albany Description
of the City Greenbush ... ... ... ... 117
CHAPTER XI.
THE HUDSON RIVER, WEST POINT.
SCENERY of the Hudson Poughkeepsie Devil's Danskammer
Newburg Bay West Point Military College Nomi
nation of Cadets Training Discipline Cozzens Butter
milk Falls Gibraltar Sing-Sing Sunnysides The
Palisades Arrival at New York ... ... ... 129
CHAPTER XII.
NEW YORK CITY, BROOKLYN, AND LONG BRANCH.
POSITION OF NEW YORK Description of the City Harbour
Selfishness of Americans Streets Squares Commu
nication within the City-^Public Buildings Churches
Educational Institutions Central Park Theatres Im
ports and Exports Brooklyn Prospect Park Greenwood
Cemetery Atlantic Dock Plymouth Church The Rev.
Henry Ward Beechef Long Branch Life at Long
Branch ... ... ... ... ... ... 136
CONTENTS. Xlll
CHAPTER XIII.
BOSTON, HARTFORD, NEW HAVEN, PROVIDENCE.
NEW ENGLAND CHARACTERISTICS.
PAGE
NEWPORT Boston Harbour Pride of Bostonians Public
Buildings " Common" Harvard University Collegiate
Halls Curriculum Discipline The City of Hartford
Trinity College " Charter Oak "Old Puritan Laws-
Position of New Haven Yale College Description of
Providence New England States Principal Features
Education Infanticide Irreligion ... ... 152
CHAPTER XIV.
PHILADELPHIA AND THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBI
TION.
THE City of Philadelphia Fairmount Park Squares and
Streets Independence Hall Other Prominent Edifices
Girard College Centennial Exhibition Classification of
Exhibits Main Building Machinery Hall Agricultural
Hall Memorial Hall Horticultural Hall Women's
Pavilion Government Building Subsidiary Buildings
Exhibition Grounds Centennial Fountain Accommoda
tion for Visitors ... ... ... 1 68
CHAPTER XV.
BALTIMORE, ANNAPOLIS, AND WASHINGTON.
JOURNEY to Baltimore Description of the City Monuments
Public Edifices Commerce Annapolis Senate Chamber
Naval College District of Columbia Decentralization
The City of Washington Its Appearance The Capitol
American Speakers compared with English White
House Treasury Patent Office Other Public Buildings
National Memorial Smithsonian Institute Corcoran
Gallery of Art Howard University ... ... ...217
XIV CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XVI.
CINCINNATI, LOUISVILLE, AND ST. LOUIS.
PAGE
JOURNEY from Baltimore Scenery Harper's Ferry Journey
Resumed Arrival at Cincinnati Its Position - General
AppearanceTyler-Davidson Fountain Public Edifices-
Eden Park Spring-grove Cemetery Trip down the Ohio
Description of Louisville Commerce Unrivalled Posi
tion of St. Louis Its Progress Appearance Streets and
Buildings Mississippi Bridge Characteristics of Western
Men ... ... ... ... ... ... 232
CHAPTER XVII.
DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI TO NEW ORLEANS.
THE Mississippi River The " Great Republic " Cairo
Columbus Hickman Memphis Helena Napoleon
Vicksburg Natchez Baton Rouge River Scenery
New Orleans Position History Streets and Squares
Public Buildings Churches Public School System
French Market Cemeteries Levee Commerce ... 249
CHAPTER XVIII.
MOBILE, SAVANNAH, CHARLESTON, AND RICHMOND.
LAKE Pontchartrain The City of Mobile Harbour Indians
Vicinity Montgomery Atlanta Macon Description
of Savannah Pulaski Monument Bonaventure Rail
to Charleston Position Harbour Its Principal Features
Ruined Plantations Columbia Wilmington Rich
mond Capitol St. John's Church Statue of Washington
Condition of the South . . 266
CONTENTS. XV
CHAPTER XIX.
NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS.
PAGE
ENERGY Silence Exclusiveness Extravagance in Language
Extravagance in Dress Low Tone of the Press
Absence of Pauperism Power of Assimilating Foreign
Immigration Diffusion of Education Sobriety Speech
Tobacco-Chewing Notes on Religion ... ... 285
CHAPTER XX.
POLITICAL CHARACTERISTICS.
POLITICAL Constitution Administration of the Laws Effects
of Manhood Suffrage Vote by Ballot Effects of the
Virulence of the Press Civil Service Corruption in the
Public Service Venality of Courts of Justice Reaction
Conflicting Authorities in the State Difficulty of Central
Government Political Future of the United States ... 297
TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
CHAPTER I.
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, AND THE FIJI ISLANDS.
DEPARTURE from Sydney Three Kings' Islands Waitemata
Harbour Manukau Harbour Description of Auckland
Maories Kandavu Luxuriant Vegetation Fiji Islands
History Natives Dwellings Dress Levuka Coral Reef
Passing the iSoth Meridian Boat Lowering Apparatus Boat
Accommodation of Passenger Ships " Crossing the Line "
Arrival at Honolulu.
ON the fourth day of April, 1876, I embarked at Sydney,
on board the good steamship Zealandia, for San Francisco.
Our first destination was Auckland, to receive on board
the New Zealand passengers and mails, that would other
wise have proceeded by a branch steamer, and joined us
at Kandavu, one of the Fiji Islands, had not an accident
happened to the Colima, the vessel intended to convey
them there.
As we steamed down Sydney harbour, its manifold
beauties were presented, like a moving panorama, to our
admiring gaze ; and again was I impressed, as I had been
on many previous occasions, with its unequalled loveliness.
It is impossible to describe that combination of beautiful
bays, and sandy coves, of lovely islets and headlands,
2 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
called Port Jackson ; and once seen, it is equally impossible
to forget it.
As we rounded the various headlands, an entirely new
view would be disclosed, more lovely if possible, than
the preceding one ; and it must have been a source of
regret to every one, that the trip down the harbour lasted
but an hour, and that we had only that time in which to
revel in its beauties and to imprint them on our minds,
to prove a source of pleasant reminiscence during our
voyage across the Pacific.
We soon steamed through the two bold rocky head
lands, called the North and South Heads, the narrow
channel between which forms the entrance to Port Jack
son, and were speedily on the broad Pacific, with the
Australian coast fading away in the distance.
On the morning of the fourth day out we sighted the
" Three Kings' Islands/' which, seen from the distance,
seemed to be three enormous rocks, but, on a nearer
approach, proved to be a group of islands, distant about
forty miles from North Cape, the extreme northernmost
point of New Zealand. Skirting the coast, at a distance
too great to permit of our noting its general appearance,
we passed Cape Brett, situated, at the entrance to the Bay
of Islands, and steaming down the Hauraki Gulf, between
the Great and Little Barrier Islands, soon entered Auck
land harbour, where a remarkably pretty landscape was
spread out before us. On one side lay the city, its out-
AUCKLAND. 3
skirts extending on either side into the hills ; while the
wide expanse of the harbour, with its numerous inlets
and islands, lay stretched out in front of it, seemingly
landlocked, and resembling a large lake, surrounded by
a background of green hills. Auckland is picturesquely
situated in the North Island of New Zealand, at a point
where its breadth is only six miles; and possesses two fine
harbours. Waitemata, the principal of these, and along
the shores of which the city is built, is very fine, and one
of the safest in New Zealand. It is an inlet of the Firth
of Thames, and consists of an inner harbour, almost
landlocked by Rangitoto and Tapu Islands, containing
good wharfage accommodation ; and an outer bay of
considerable extent, called Hauraki Gulf, protected by
the Great and Little Barrier Islands.
On the western side of North Island, and distant
only six miles from Auckland, with which it is connected ,
by a tramway, is Manukau harbour, on which is situated
the small town of Onehunga, and from which most of the
intercolonial trade is carried on.
Auckland is regularly laid out, the streets being straight
and wide, and crossing one another at right angles.
Queen Street, the principal thoroughfare, extends a
distance of a couple of miles from the wharves, and
contains the principal buildings. The public buildings
are generally good, built for the most part of brick, faced
with stone ; the most important being the Government
4 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
Offices, the Post Office and Custom House, and the
Supreme Court. Government House is a handsome
edifice, erected on an eminence which commands a grand
view of the harbour, and situated in the midst of
ornamental grounds, containing many fine trees.
Auckland contains something under 25,000 inhabitants.
It is the second city in New Zealand, in point of
population and commercial importance, and was, until
1865, the political capital of the colony; when it was
found advisable to select a town with a more central
position for the seat of Government, and the Legislature
was removed to Wellington. Auckland has lost, in
consequence, some of its former importance j but, from
its unrivalled position, seems destined to become a great
city, especially when the large tract of country occupied
by the Maoris is brought under cultivation, and the
railway system extended throughout the Island. It is at
present a busy thriving place, and is rendered more
characteristic of the country than other New Zealand
towns by the number of the Aborigines or Maoris seen
in its streets. These Maoris are a splendid race; the
men being well formed, and of great size, and their
features bear a great resemblance to those of Europeans,
except that their noses are broader and flatter. The
men dress for the most part in civilized garb, and many,
notably the younger, have given up the habit of tattooing
themselves. The women are pleasing in appearance, but
MAORIES. 5
still adhere to the practice of tattooing the lower lip.
The short black pipe seen in the mouths of many of them
quite destroys the romance that might otherwise attach to
the softer sex of a brave and unconquered race ; for such
they in reality are, living as they do, under their own
king, and within their own territory, into which they will
not allow any government official to enter. They are a
brave race, as is proved by the fact that, during the late
war, there were only 3,000 in arms against the Colonial
Government, and there were at one time from 10,000 to
15,000 troops opposed to them ; and yet, in spite of this
great disparity in numbers, everyone must remember how
the war was protracted, and the many reverses experienced
by the troops. They are shrewd and intelligent, and
capable of receiving a comparatively high state of
civilization, although it will be the work of several
generations that is, if they survive so long to eradicate
the savagery out of their nature. Even at the time they were
first seen by the early settlers, they are described as having
been more advanced than is usual with native races ; for
they built themselves houses, cooked their food, and,
though addicted to cannibalism, and constantly fighting
amongst themselves, yet lived in communities, under their
own laws, and cultivated patches of land, in which every
individual of a tribe had a proprietary interest. In view
of what the race is capable of, it seems a great pity that
it is dying out very quickly- as from 100,000, the number
6 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
they were estimated to have been in the early days of the
colony, they have now decreased to 40,000, the decadence
being attributed to the intemperance of the men and the
unchastity of the women. I may mention that I was
struck with the number of public-houses in Auckland,
and on enquiry found that there are 98 in the pro
portion of i to every 2^0 of the inhabitants.
We were not allowed a long stay on shore; but, after
embarking the New Zealand mails and passengers, we
soon found ourselves again on our course, with a fair
wind, and the coast of North Island disappearing on the
horizon. The next four days were passed in the
monotonous manner usual on shipboard ; and, during the
course of the fifth day, we sighted the island of Kandavu,
one of the Fijian group, and in a short time were safely
at anchor within its harbour. Kandavu was chosen by
the mail steamers as a place of call, in preference to the
other islands of the group, from its lying more directly
in the track and possessing a safe harbour. It contains
124 square miles, is evidently of volcanic formation, and
its appearance, as viewed from the ocean, is most lovely.
Rising out of the water, to a considerable height, its
slopes are covered with a dens'e undergrowth of green
vegetation, most refreshing to eyes wearied of the eternal
blue of the Pacific. Groups of graceful cocoanut palms,
with their waving fronds, and beautiful green bananas, give
diversity to the scene ; whilst, here and there, the huts of
FIJI ISLANDS. 7
the natives, and the modest dwellings of the white settlers
may be seen peeping out from amidst the luxuriant
tropical vegetation. The Island is surrounded by a coral-
reef, at a distance of about three miles from the shore,
and can distinctly be traced by the line of foam, caused
by the sea breaking over it. The entrance to the harbour
is through a passage in this reef, and the navigation is
somewhat intricate and dangerous. The harbour is very
safe, with good anchorage, and presents a scene of
beauty that could not be anywhere exceeded. A descrip
tion of Kandavu is said to be equally applicable to the
other islands of the group, which bear a general
resemblance to one another, varying only in size and in
a few details. Having only landed on the one, I cannot,
however, speak from personal observation.
The Fijian Archipelago, discovered by Tasman, the
Dutch navigator, in 1643, is composed of numerous
islands, of all shapes and sizes, lying midway between
the Tongan Islands and the French colony of New
Caledonia. The number of the islands is estimated at
225, of which 80 are inhabited. They extend nearly 300
miles from east to west, and 200 from north to south,
covering an area as large as Wales. The principal are
Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Kandavu, Taviuna, and Ovalau.
The history of the islands is interesting, and may
briefly be summarised as follows : The first white settle
ment was made in 1804 by a party of convicts who
8 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
escaped from the then existing penal establishment at
Botany Bay, in New South Wales ; and the number was
augmented by shipwrecked sailors and deserters from
whaling ships, which often put in at the islands for water.
In 1835 a few small traders effected a lodgment at
the present site of Levuka, and the small community
gradually increased in numbers, until, in 1867, the white
population was estimated at 500 souls. A steady tide
of immigration then set in from the Australian colonies,
and land was brought under cotton cultivation, for
which the climate and soil were found to be well adapted.
In 1873, the white population had increased to 3,000 ;
the imports amounted to over ^87,000, and the exports,
principally of cotton, to ,84,000. The unsettled state of
affairs prevailing on the islands retarded their progress
for some time ; but now that they have become a
British colony, with a settled form of Government, they
will, doubtless, enter upon an era of continuous pros
perity. The whole population, native and white, is
estimated at something under 150,000.
The Fijians are, for the most part, tall and well-made,
varying in colour from yellow to brown, the prevailing hue
being a light brown. They are civil, orderly, and tractable ;
but this is solely owing to the influence and teaching of
the missionaries, as they were formerly cruel, vindictive,
and addicted to cannibalism. The Fijis have, in fact,
been one of the most successful fields of missionary
DWELLINGS DRESS. 9
labour ; the natives now nearly all professing Christianity,
and their characteristics having been beneficially modi
fied. Their dwellings are constructed of the stalks, and
thatched with the leaves of large reeds, and in appear
ance somewhat resemble Highland shielings. They con
tain no articles of furniture except mats, made of cocoa-
nut fibre, upon which they sleep. Their dress is simple ;
consisting only of a strip of cloth, or " tapa," called a
sulu, wrapped round the waist, and descending to the
knees. " Tapa " is a species of cloth, made from the
soft bark of the paper mulberry, by beating it with
wooden mallets ; and its fabrication seems to be the
special work of the women. They indulge in the nasty
habit of anointing their bodies with cocoa-nut oil, which
makes them anything but pleasant neighbours ; they also
make their hair stand up like a great mop, and wash it
with lime, for the purpose of destroying the vermin.
The result is, that it becomes of a bright red colour : thus
a Fijian's head very much resembles a full-grown cabbage
in size, and its red colour forms a remarkable and
comical contrast to the black hair on his face. Levuka,
the capital of the islands, is on the island of Ovalau, and
is described as being built on a narrow strip of beach,
from fifty to a hundred yards in width, lying at the foot of
the mountains, up which the town, which at present only
consists of one narrow street, will have to extend, should
it, as is anticipated, increase in population and importance.
10 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
After a pleasant run on shore, we left Kandavu and
proceeded on our voyage, sighting during the course of
the day several other islands of the group. We
obtained, too, a fine view of a coral reef, which gave us
a good idea of the formation of these wonderful works
of nature. The reef was of elliptical form, and
extended a distance, perhaps, of ten miles, easily trace
able by the line of broken water. Within, the water was
placid as a mill-pond, and of a lovely green colour ;
forming a striking contrast to the deep blue waves of the
ocean outside and the line of white foam on the reef.
In this natural lake were two small islands, covered with
beautiful palms and luxuriant undergrowth, completing a
scene of fairy-like loveliness. These islands had all the
appearance of being the tops of mountain-peaks, and
had at one time, most likely, been two eminences on a
larger island, which had subsided. This is the only
mode of accounting for the formation of the reef, which
must have been many hundred feet deep ; whereas the
coral insects that constructed it cannot exist at a greater
depth than 120 feet. The land must, therefore, have
subsided in the same ratio as the insects built upwards.
On the morning of the first day out from Kandavu
we passed the iSoth meridian of longitude, and, as is
usual, in order to bring the ship's time more into accord
with that of Greenwich, a day was added to our calendar ;
thus we had two Mondays, the iyth of April. On
BOAT-LOWERING APPARATUS. II
reaching the iSoth meridian our time was twelve hours
in advance of that of Greenwich, and by repeating a
day, as regards the computation of time, we practically
stood still for twenty-four hours, allowing Greenwich to
overtake and pass us ; so that we entered the Western
Hemisphere twelve hours behind it. As we travelled
west now, we had only to alter our time in accordance
with the westing made from the iSoth meridian, at the
rate of four minutes to a degree, to make it agree with
that of any port into which we might put.
Selecting a fine day when we were going along with a
fair wind, the captain exercised the crew in fixing the fire-
pumps and hose, and in lowering the boats. The boats
on the davits were lowered in about a quarter of an hour ;
but it was easy to see that, had there been a heavy sea
running, as would most probably be the case in an
extremity where the boats would be requisite, they
would with great difficulty have been safely lowered into
the water. The present system of davits and falls seems
very defective ; and it appears strange that large passenger
ships are not compelled to adopt Clifford's patent falls,
which are highly commended by most nautical men.
With these falls a boat could be lowered in a couple of
minutes, and thus be the means of saving much valuable
life at sea. The boat accommodation of such ships
might, with advantage, be more stringently watched before
they leave port ; for it is notorious that the boats of most
12 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
large passenger ships are quite inadequate to contain the
number of souls on board, and, in most cases, are
unprovisioned and defective ; so that, small as the number
of boats usually is, even these are found to be quite use
less when required in any sudden emergency.
We crossed the line in longitude 161 50', and the
event was marked by a large consumption of wines and
spirits, and the consequent intoxication of a number of
the passengers. This was certainly no improvement on
the old method of celebrating the occurrence, which, if
rather rough and boisterous in its fun, was yet of an
innocuous character.
On the tenth day we sighted the island of Hawaii, the
largest of the Sandwich Islands, and could distinctly see
the great volcanic mountain of Manua Loa, 14,000 feet
high, bathed in clouds, but with its summit rising above
them, clear and sharp-cut against the horizon. We soon
approached the island of Oahu, upon which is the port
of Honolulu ; and, taking a pilot on board, we entered
the harbour in the evening, and soon found ourselves
safely moored alongside the wharf. It was a feat of no
small difficulty, working a long ship like the Zealandia
alongside in the dark, and one not effected without some
unpleasantness to a schooner lying at the wharf, which
received a nasty hug from us as we passed, for which
an action for damages has been brought against our
captain.
CHAPTER II.
HONOLULU AND THE HAWAIIAN ARCHIPELAGO.
THE Sandwich Islands Decrease of Population Natives Position
of the Islands Products Government Liquor Laws
Restriction of the Sale of Opium Appearance of Honolulu
Harbour Description of the Town Taro Plant "Poi"
Nuuanu Valley ''Pali" Departure from Honolulu Arrival
at San Francisco.
THE Sandwich Islands, or Hawaiian Archipelago, con
sist of eight larger and seven smaller islands, the principal
of which are Hawaii, Maui, Kauai, and Oahu. On the
latter is situated Honolulu, the capital. They contain a
population of about 50,000, of which 5,000 are white
settlers, chiefly British, American, and German. There
is also a great number of Chinese on the islands. The
present population is supposed to be little over one-tenth
of what it was at the time of Captain Cook's visit in 1778 ;
the great decrease being ascribed to the usual causes of
the decadence of native races, viz., the white man's fire
water and the unchastity of the women.
The natives are a fine, inoffensive race, very much
resembling the New Zealand Maoris, but undisfigured by
the hideous tattoo-marks far more peacefully inclined,
and more industrious ; although, like most native races,
they require a great incentive to labour, and consequently
14 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
do better at piece-work, than on regular wages. They all
speak more or less English, profess Christianity, and
crime is unfrequent amongst them. They vary in colour,
from yellow to a dusky brown, and many of the men
are fine big fellows, clad for the most part in European
dress, and are said to make very good sailors. The
women are pleasing in appearance, but wear an ungraceful
kind of sacque, fastened round the throat, unconfined at
the waist, and descending in long folds to their feet ;
their heads are generally adorned with garlands of flowers.
Men and women are all called Kanakas, that being the
native word for man ; thus white men are Kanaka Hauri,
and natives Kanaka Mauri; but the distinctive terms in
use are Hauri and Kanaka.
The Hawaiian group lies right in the track of vessels
sailing from California to Australia and New Zealand,
and also, though less directly so, of those proceeding
from California to China and Japan. They thus form a
stepping-stone, as it were, on the road between the rising
and prosperous States on the western coast of America
and the eastern shores of Australia, and seem destined in
time, from their position, to become an important element
in the trade of the Pacific.
The products of the islands are sugar, rice, and coffee.
These constitute the exports, which in 1870 amounted
to over ; 400,000, whilst the imports during the same
period were nearly a like amount.
HONOLULU. 1 5
The government is vested in the king (the reigning
monarch being Lunalilo), who appoints governors to the
different islands to administer the laws under him ; an
executive council of Europeans, and a Legislative Assem
bly, composed in part or altogether of natives. There is
a civil and criminal code, but British and American pre
cedents are taken, and it may be said that the islands
enjoy British law, modified to suit the requirements of a
native race. The laws regulating the sale of liquor are
very stringent, a retailer of spirituous drinks having to
pay $1,000 per annum for his license, and being pro
hibited to supply Europeans with drink on Sunday, or
natives at any time whatever, under a penalty of $500.
If he cannot pay this fine, he is set to work on the coral
reefs, at 25 cents a day, until the amount of the fine be
worked off.
The sale of opium to the Chinese is also lessened by
making it a monopoly, which is annually sold by auction.
By these means the revenue has netted as much as
$40,000 in a year ; and the cost of the drug to the
Chinese being increased by this large amount, the quan
tity consumed is not so great as it otherwise would be.
Honolulu, the metropolis and chief port of the group,
is a pretty little town, containing about 10,000 inhabi
tants. Its appearance, viewed from the harbour, is
remarkably picturesque, being embowered in luxuriant
vegetation, with a background of volcanic hills of most
1 6 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
irregular shapes, their sides covered with verdure, and
their craggy peaks rising to a great height. In rear of
the town is a peculiarly- shaped eminence called Punch
bowl Hill, the summit of which is crowned by a small
battery, to protect the harbour.
The harbour consists of a roadstead and an inner
basin ; the former protected by a spit of land extending
into the sea, called Diamond Head, and the latter
accommodating at its wharves ships of very large tonnage
our steamer, a vessel of 3,200 tons register, being very
comfortably berthed. The entrance to the harbour, as
in most of the islands in the Pacific, is through a passage
in the coral reef that extends round the island of Oahu.
These passages through the reefs are supposed to be
formed by currents of cold fresh water coming from the
land, in which the coral insects that build up these reefs
upon submerged portions of the islands cannot exist.
Honolulu consists of regularly laid out streets, that
have, however, more the appearance of wide, rural lanes,
from the luxuriance of the vegetation in the gardens, and
the number of beautiful trees standing between the
houses. It contains some good public buildings, amongst
which it is pleasing to see a public library, with 1,500
books of reference, and numerous churches. The king's
palace is a plain unpretentious building of coral-stone,
situated on about an acre of well laid out ground,
surrounded by a high wall, at the entrance gate in which
HONOLULU. 1 7
stands a native sentry, in his neat uniform of blue coat
and white trousers. There are some good schools in
the town, and it is a very interesting sight to see the little
Kanaka children trooping off to school, with their books
and slates in their hands, and satchels on their backs.
There is also a quaint little theatre, situated in a pretty
garden ; but there was no performance there on the only
evening we were in Honolulu. I was astonished to see,
in so small a place, and one where hotel accommoda
tion is so little required, such a fine house as the
Hawaiian hotel ; but I afterwards learned that it had
been erected by a company formed for the purpose, and
subsidized by the Government, in anticipation of the
San Francisco and Yokohama mail steamers making
Honolulu a place of call. It has now, I hear, been
taken over entirely by the Government, and is let to its
present manager free of charge, for the purpose of keeping
it open.
In this equable, but enervating climate, where the ther
mometer registers about 80 degrees all the year round,
Nature has bounteously placed the means of subsistence^
without much labour, within reach of the native
population, in the rapid and luxuriant growth of the
taro-plant (arum esculentum), from which the national dish
of " poi " is made. The taro-plant is grown in shallow
pits, which are kept wet, and, combined with the heat of
the climate, act as forcing beds, and cause the plant to
3
1 8 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
grow very rapidly. The food is prepared by the succu
lent roots being pounded into a wet pulp, which is
allowed to ferment, and is then kneaded with the hands,
until it assumes the requisite consistency; when it is
packed in calabashes, and is ready for consumption. A
taro-pit, twelve feet, square is said to produce sufficient
food, to maintain a Kanaka for a whole year. " Poi " is
eaten by inserting two fingers into the mess, twisting
them round until sufficient adheres to them, and then, by
a dexterous turn of the wrist, transferring them to the
mouth. The girls only use one finger, with which, how
ever, they manage to make very good play.
As several of the passengers desired to see. the much
talked of Pali, a precipice situated in a gorge in the
mountains, called the Nuuanu Valley, we formed a party
for the purpose of visiting it. Taking a guide with us,
and ' engaging the necessary number of poor looking
horses, we started ; passing on our way through what
may be called a suburb of the town, containing many
pretty low-roofed houses embowered in luxuriant vegeta
tion, and standing in gardens full of splendid tropical
shade trees, such as tree ferns with stems twelve feet
high, cocoanut palms with their graceful fronds, bananas,
and tamarind trees ; which gave the houses a most
refreshing appearance of coolness. Crossing a cultivated
plain two miles long, which extends from the town to the
foot of the mountains, we entered the valley and com-
HONOLULU. 19
menced its ascent. The road, which was very steep,
continued for some distance through dense bushwood,
by the side of a mountain torrent that rushed impetuously
down the valley. The mountains rose on either hand to
a great height, and, being covered with green foliage,
presented from different points of observation a succes
sion of grand views. After riding for some time, we
were, as our guide informed us, at a distance of six miles
from Honolulu, but shortly after attained the end of our
up-hill journey; for, coming upon an open space, we
saw the great precipice, or Pali, in front of us, and felt
ourselves well repaid by the sight for the trouble we had
taken in obtaining it. It seemed to us as if, by some
great convulsion of nature, half the mountain had been
cut away ; for, standing on the top, we had a precipice
in front of us, with a sheer descent of 500 feet. The
view from here was beautiful : at the base of the precipice
lay a forest, beyond which lovely green country,
diversified with hills and dales, extended to the coast
line ; whilst, out at sea, we could see the breakers on the
outer reef, the white of the foam contrasting with the
dark blue of the ocean, and presenting altogether a
scene of rare beauty, and one not to be soon forgotten.
Returning to the town, we passed many Kanaka men
and women riding furiously that is, as furiously as their
ill-bred hacks would allow them ; and we were told that
the natives generally have quite a passion for equestrian
20 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
exercise. We noticed that the women rode astride their
horses in the same manner as the men.
On our arrival in Honolulu we found, to our great
regret, that the Zealandia was to sail in the course of a
couple of hours : so, taking our last meal 1 ashore, at the
Hawaiian Hotel, and purchasing a quantity of oranges,
bananas, and mangoes, we reluctantly went on board. I
may mention that these oranges had a green and unripe
appearance, but we found them to be most delicious,
consisting of a luscious dark red pulp.
It seemed as if the departure of the mail-steamer were
kept as a gala-day by the inhabitants of Honolulu ; for
all the town seemed to have turned out to watch us steam
out of the harbour, and we were greeted with many
rounds of hearty cheers. We were soon on our course,
with the coast of Oahu fading away in the distance, and
with nothing left to mark the break in our journey, but a
pleasant reminiscence of the agreeable short time we had
spent in sunny Honolulu.
Nothing occurred to break the monotony of the voyage.
About noon, on the eighth day out from Oahu, we steamed
through the Golden Gate, the entrance to San Francisco
Bay past a fine battery, which commands it with its
guns thus having accomplished the 2,100 miles in seven
days and a half. Steaming down the Bay, we were soon
alongside the wharf; and before even the gangways were
fixed, we were invaded by an army of hotel-touters, who
SAN FRANCISCO. 21
seemed to vie with one another in giving a florid descrip
tion of the particular inducements, in the way of comfort
and cost of accommodation, offered by their respective
hotels. It was, in fact, necessary to keep a sharp look
out over one's luggage ; for some of these gentry would
make a dive at a trunk, and, if not prevented, would
carry it ashore. We were, however, soon landed with
our impedimenta ; and then commenced the examination
of our luggage by the customs' officers, who made a care
ful search for contraband articles, and we had to sign
declarations for even small quantities of tobacco and
cigars. After having my luggage passed, I soon found
myself installed in comfortable apartments in the Occi
dental Hotel.
CHAPTER III.
SAN FRANCISCO AND SACRAMENTO CITY.
DESCRIPTION of the City History Streets Hotels Public
Buildings Chinese Quarter Chinese Gambling Houses
Chinese Theatres High Cost of Commodities Sunday Obser
vance Schools Suburbs Cliff House Theatres Tram Cars
Commerce Luggage Arrangements Description of Sacra
mento Chinese Question.
SAN FRANCISCO, the chief city of the State of California,
and the New York of the Pacific Coast, is situated at the
end of a peninsula thirty miles long and six miles across,
which separates San Francisco Bay from the Pacific
Ocean. It lies at the foot of high hills, which, in the
early days of the city, were cut up by numerous gullies,
and the low land at their base was of small extent. Many
of these hills have been levelled, the gullies filled up,
and the narrow portion of the peninsula widened with
land reclaimed from the ocean ; thus there are now paved
streets and busy thoroughfares, where once large ships
rode at anchor.
The city is regularly laid out, the streets being straight,
broad, and crossing one another at right angles ; the
business portion is compactly built, and may be said to
cover an area of nine square miles, lying between Tele
graph, Rincon, and Russian Hills. It is substantially built,
SAN FRANCISCO. 23
for the greater part, of stone ; but the outskirts are strag
gling, the houses being wide apart, and generally of wood.
The rapid growth of San Francisco is almost unprece
dented, equalled only by that of Melbourne, Victoria,
which owes its rise to the same cause, viz., the gold
discoveries. The first house built on the present site of
the city was in 1835, when the settlement was called
Terba Buena, from a medicinal herb found in the
vicinity; this was changed to its present name, San
Francisco, in 1847. I n 1848, when gold was first dis
covered, the population amounted to 1,000; the great
immigration from the East then set in, and in 1850 the
population had increased to 25,000; in 1860, to 57,000;
in 1870, to 150,000; and is now estimated at over
175,000 inhabitants.
In the early days, in consequence of the corrupt ad
ministration of the criminal laws, crimes of open violence
were of frequent occurrence, and a regular reign of terror
prevailed, until the people formed vigilance committees,
whose summary mode of procedure tended materially to
abate this state of affairs, and at the present time, life and
property are as safe, as in any other American city. I
was indeed very much struck with the quiet and orderly
state of the city after dark, and the absence of drunken
men, who, unfortunately, form such an unpleasant feature
in the streets of our own large towns ; although I was
assured by old inhabitants that drunkenness prevails to a
24 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
greater extent than in any other American city, and
that crimes of violence are much more frequent, in pro
portion to the population, than in New York. All I can
say is, that, if such be the case, I did not observe the
outward signs of it.
The principal thoroughfare is Montgomery-street, which,
with its fine blocks of buildings, is a very handsome
street. It extends at its northern extremity to the top of
a hill, too precipitous for carriages to ascend ; but pedes
trians can do so by means of a flight of steps, and from
the top a fine view of the city and bay is obtained.
Market and Kearney-streets are also fine thoroughfares,
and contain many of the best retail establishments. In
California-street are the principal banks and brokers'
offices ; whilst Front, Sansome, and Battery-streets form
the centre of the wholesale trade of the city. The best
private residences are situated in Van Ness Avenue,
Pine-street Hill, Bush and Geary-streets. The traffic in
some of these streets is very great, and forcibly reminds
one of parts of the city of London.
One of the great features of San Francisco is its
enormous hotel accommodation, which would be quite
disproportionate to the requirements of the travelling
public great as it is were it not for the large number of
people who prefer this mode of living to having homes of
their own. Many San Franciscan ladies are averse to the
trouble of housekeeping ; the reason assigned being the
SAN FRANCISCO. 25
difficulty they experience in procuring good domestic
servants, or " helps," as they are locally called. I think,
however, that in addition to this reason, it arises in a
great measure from indolence, and also from the fact that,
being relieved of the cares of housekeeping, they have so
much more time at their disposal, to spend more pleasantly
to themselves, in exhibiting their elaborate toilets in the
fashionable promenades. A newly-married pair do not
think of making for themselves a home of their own :
they simply hire a couple of rooms at an hotel or boarding-
house, and thus the comforts of home-life are quite
unknown to them. Whatever reasons may be assigned
for the prevalence of this system, it is radically bad, leads
to much immorality, and, under it, children, being de
prived of true home influence, can only grow up fast.
The finest of the great hotels is undoubtedly the Palace,
a colossal building, seven stories high, with a basement,
occupying a whole block bounded by four streets. It is
said to contain 1,800 rooms, 270 of which are bath
rooms, can accommodate about 1,300 guests, and is
without doubt the largest hotel in the world. It is well
managed, and is a most comfortable house to reside at ;
although its great size, which makes it necessary to have
five elevators to convey guests to their apartments on the
upper floors, seemed to me a great drawback. Other
good hotels are the Grand, the Occidental, and the Lick
House.
26 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
San Francisco is very deficient in public buildings, and
of the few it possesses none have any pretensions to
architectural beauty. There is, however, a new City Hall
in course of erection, which will, when completed, be a
very fine edifice, surpassed by few in the States. A New
Mint is also being built, and will be a great addition
to the architecture of the city. The Merchants' Exchange
is a fine building, and some of the banking corporations
occupy handsome premises.
A visit to the Stock Exchange is interesting, to see the
bustle and excitement, consequent on the dealing in
mining scrip. It is customary for stock in silver mines
to be sold by auction, the bidding regulating and fixing
the prices of the day. From the number of people
present, it seemed to me, that the whole population
must, more or less, be interested in this species of gamb
ling for it is nothing else. The uproar caused by
several hundred people all speaking excitedly at the same
time completely drowns the monotonous voice of the
President, and gives to the whole proceedings the
appearance rather of a bear-garden, than of an assem
blage of commercial men meeting together for pur
poses of trade. There are several fine libraries in the
city. The Mercantile Library occupies a fine building,
containing several spacious reading-rooms, chess-rooms,
a gallery of paintings and statuary, and 40,000 volumes.
The Oddfellows' Library numbers 25,000; the Mechanics'
SAN FRANCISCO. 27
Institute Library, 30,000 ; and the Law Library, 15,000
volumes. Thus the San Franciscans are well supplied
with food for the mind ; and it must be said to their
credit that these different libraries are very well patronized.
There are about 20,000 Chinese in San Francisco, and
these live densely crowded together in the " Chinese
quarter" in a state of filth and squalor indescribable.
It seems wonderful, that they do not breed a pestilence,
as the corporation does not appear to pay the least
attention to the sanitary condition of this part of the city.
I joined a party to visit this " quarter," and in a cellar
we counted no less than fifteen Chinamen and women,
living together like rabbits in a burrow, in a space that
would be considered barely sufficient for two Europeans ;
and a house was pointed out to us in which we were
assured over 2,000 of these people were living. In the
opium cellars we saw numbers of men lying in various
stages of intoxication, looking haggard and blear-eyed,
and showing to what depths of degradation humanity can
sink. These cellars are fitted up with shelves, upon
which the Chinamen lay in pairs, with boxes for pillows ;
one smoking and preparing the opium, while the other
lies in a state of semi-unconsciousness. We next visited
one of the many gambling-houses in the " quarter," and
here, in an atmosphere consisting of dense clouds of
tobacco smoke, impregnated with the vilest odours
imaginable, we saw a large number of Chinamen, and, to
28 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
our astonishment, a few whites, sitting round tables
engaged in gambling. The latter quietly slunk away at
sight of the policeman, who formed one of our party.
Their mode of gambling is very simple ; one throws a
handful of copper coin on the table, and the others bet
whether the number be odd or even. Such inveterate
gamblers are the Chinese, that, at this stupid game, they
will often, in one night, lose the earnings of months.
We now proceeded to one of the two Chinese theatres,
but found the performance to be of a very monotonous
character. The theatre itself was a low, plain building;
the auditorium containing a few chairs, but the audience,
for the most part, squatting on their haunches ; the stage
about nine feet high, being raised a couple of feet
above the ground, and ornamented all over with dirty,
faded strips of red and yellow paper, printed with
Chinese characters, and lighted by numerous Chinese
lanterns. Pieces of tin, like sardine boxes, were piled
one above the other, and with the wings, tails, and heads
of birds, were nailed to the wall; whilst a miscellaneous
collection of various articles, was hung all round.
Amongst these articles may be enumerated old tin-pans,
broken chairs, tables without legs, dirty coats and hats,
rusty swords, broom handles burned black to represent
spears, strips of red and yellow muslin, old boots and
shoes, wooden animals painted every colour but the
natural one, illustrations of junks with sails set, armies
SAN FRANCISCO. 29
marching, and bulls fighting. The audience sat stolidly,
without a smile on their faces, smoking either tobacco or
opium; even the women, who occupied a compartment by
themselves, indulging in this filthy habit. The orchestra
sat on the stage, smoking the whole time, and amused the
audience and themselves, during the performance, by
clashing cymbals, beating gongs, blowing trumpets, and
making generally about as unearthly a noise as it is possible
to imagine. The performance consisted in several men
clad in green, red, and yellow costumes, with feathers
sticking out from the back of their necks, wings on their
shoulders, and masks representing heads of bulls, horses,
and other animals or birds, on their faces; strutting about
the stage, gesticulating and shouting at one another.
Part of the performance was a mimic representation of a
battle, and consisted in several persons rushing on to
the stage, turning somersault over the heads of some
running on from the other side, and then disappearing ;
this was continued ad infinitum, and finding it to become
monotonous, we did not feel inclined to wait and see if it
were at all varied. These Chinese plays, we were told,
generally are descriptive of the reign of a monarch, and
a performance of one extends over many evenings.
In San Francisco the cost of all commodities is very
high, and this in spite of the currency of the State being
in gold ; the farther east I proceeded, the cheaper I
found the cost of everything to become, although the
30 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
currency was in greenbacks, or a difference in favour of
the buyer of from ten to fifteen per cent.
Owing to the large foreign population, the Sunday is
observed in the Continental manner, the shops being
open, and the people generally devoting the day to
recreation ; at the theatres the best pieces are usually
performed on Sunday evening, a good audience always
being reckoned upon.
The public school system of San Francisco is very
good, there being a regular attendance of 30,000 children
in the different school buildings. The University of
California is an important educational institution, at a
short distance from Oakland ; and there are, in addition,
a School of Design and a Medical College. The
charitable institutions are numerous and excellent, and
are, generally, very creditable to so young a city.
Across the bay are the pretty little towns of Oakland,
Brookland, Alameda, and Saucelito, which may be
regarded as suburbs of San Francisco, with which they
are connected by numerous steam-ferries. They all have
fine public gardens, and, being well protected from the
wind by the hilly nature of the surrounding country,
the climate is more equable than' at San Francisco,
where hot days are succeeded by cold nights. On this
account, and also that the vicinity is far prettier than the
sandy desert about San Francisco, many of the
merchants have their residences there.
SAN FRANCISCO. 31
The chief point of interest in the vicinity of the city
is the Cliff House, an hotel and restaurant crowning the
edge of precipitous cliffs rising abruptly out of the
ocean. It is distant about six miles from the city, and
is reached by a fine drive ; crowded, especially on
Saturday afternoons, by vehicles of all descriptions.
The number of high-stepping trotting horses attached to
light buggies, whose drivers seem continually to aim at
passing everything on the road thus occasioning many
impromptu races gives this drive a very gay and
animated appearance. In front of the hotel, are the Seal
Rocks, so called from being always covered with large
numbers of seals basking in the sun, and barking like
dogs, and others disporting themselves in their native
element. The view, from the broad piazza of this hotel,
is very fine ; and the Golden Gate, the entrance to San
Francisco Bay, can be seen from it to great advantage.
The only public recreation ground is Golden Gate
Park, which covers a large area ; but, as yet, little has
been done towards beautifying it. There are several
squares in the city, though mostly in a neglected condi
tion ; the only exception being in the case of Portsmouth
Square, which is well laid out, and surrounded by a
handsome iron railing. Lone Mountain Cemetery is
very beautiful, and contains some fine monuments \ in it
is a peculiar conical-shaped mountain, standing by itself
in tolerably level country whence its name, Lone Moun-
32 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
tain. Its summit is surmounted by a large wooden
cross, and mountain and cross form a very prominent
landmark, and from its top a magnificent panorama is
presented of the city, bay, and surrounding country.
San Francisco contains no less than six large theatres,
the principal of which are the California Theatre,
Maguire's Opera House, Wade's Opera House, and
Baldwin's Academy of Music all very fine houses, the
latter especially being a perfect little bijou of a theatre,
at which opera bouffe is generally performed. The
arrangement of the auditorium is the same as in conti
nental theatres, and this I found to be general through
out America ; the space that with us is used for stalls
and pit being made into orchestra seats, reserved and
unreserved the latter being in front and the former at
the rear, raised and separated by a barrier from the
unreserved part. The price of admission is $i to the
unreserved seats, and $i.5oc. to the reserved being the
same as to the dress circle.
Communication with the different parts of the city is
effected, at small cost, by means of the splendid tram-
car system, double tracks being laid down through every
street. This is certainly the most pleasant mode of
locomotion, for the roadways are paved with stones, and
the jolting in ordinary vehicles is very great.
The commerce of San Francisco is very extensive, it
being the great port of shipment for the whole of the
LUGGAGE ARRANGEMENTS. 33
Pacific coast. Its imports consist principally of tea,
coffee, sugar, rice, and coal ; its exports of gold, silver,
wool, grain, and wine. The exports of the precious
metals alone, in 1874, amounted to ^"6,000,000. It is
also the centre of numerous industries, none of which,
however, are as yet very extensive.
After spending a very pleasant time in San Francisco,
I proceeded on my long journey East, and took the ferry
boat for Oakland, where the station, or, in American
phraseology, the " depot," of the Central Pacific Railroad
is situated. We were here landed at a pier, extending
two miles and a half into the Bay, where we were trans
ferred into the railway cars and started for Sacramento,
where I intended to break the journey. It may be men
tioned that I found the luggage, or, as it is universally
called in America, "baggage" arrangements, excellent.
The trunks I did not require on the journey, I sent through
to New York, receiving in lieu of them brass "checks,"
on presentation of which, and payment of a small charge
for storage, they were delivered to me, on my arrival in
that city. I took with me only what I should require on
the journey, and in the same manner received checks for
each package. Approaching a large town, an official
walked through the cars ; and, if I intended stopping, I
gave him my checks, and the name of the hotel at which
I was going to stay, receiving a printed receipt in return.
I then walked empty-handed to the hotel, if it were close
4
34 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
at hand, or proceeded thither by the cars, if at some
distance ; thus saving the great expense of a hackney
coach. Leaving the receipts with the clerk in the office,
I generally found my luggage deposited in my room
within half-an-hour after my arrival.
The road from San Francisco to Sacramento traverses
the valleys of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers,
through highly cultivated country ; and passes numerous
picturesquely-situated farms, and homesteads.
Sacramento, the political capital of the " Golden State,"
is a pretty place, containing about 50,000 inhabitants.
It is situated at the head of navigation on the Sacramento
River, near its confluence with the great American river;
and is distant about 125 miles from the Pacific. It very
much resembles a large colonial up-country town, and is
the seat of some rather extensive manufactures. It is a
thriving and busy place, and, during the sessions of the
State Legislature, swarms with numbers of political agents
and hangers-on. The Capitol, or State House, is a noble
building, in the Corinthian style of architecture, sur
mounted by a grand cupola, which renders it a very con
spicuous object, from every point of the surrounding
plains. It is, unquestionably, one of the finest edifices
in the United States.
Sacramento is the centre of a large railway system, and
from it, lines radiate to all parts of the State ; hence it
seems likely in time, to become a large and important
SACRAMENTO. 35
city. The streets are broad and well paved, and lined
with trees, which form an agreeable shade in summer.
The houses are generally built of brick, and have a sub
stantial and pleasing look ; whilst the recent erections are
really handsome in appearance.
At the time of my visit the people were much exercised
in their minds about the Chinese immigration ; and a
petition to Congress was being got up, praying that steps
might be taken to modify it. It appears that these
immigrants from the Flowery Land are brought out
under the auspices of six Chinese companies, at San
Francisco under some arrangement as to labour and
earnings, that tends to make the immigration very
profitable to the companies; whose powers in this
respect, would seem to be unlimited. The conse
quence is, that such numbers of Celestials are arriving
in the country there being already in San Francisco
alone 20,000, equal to more than one-tenth of the
whole population of that city that the people are
beginning to bestir themselves in the matter. They
complain that the Chinese do not adopt the habits of
the country, but live densely crowded together in their
own quarters, where they become dangerous to the
public health; that the gambling propensities of the
men, and the prostitution of the women, are demoralizing
in the e xtreme, more especially to the younger genera
tion ; and that, requiring as they do, so little for their
36 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
maintenance, they do not compete on equal terms with
Europeans, and, consequently, lower the rate of wages,
and even monopolize certain trades. There is certainly
a great deal of truth in these statements, quite sufficient
for Congress to take the matter into consideration, and
do something either to limit the immigration, or other
wise modify its pernicious effects.
Should this not be done, there will undoubtedly be a
war of races ; and I " guess," Brother Jonathan, in spite
of his constant mouthing about republican equality, will
be very likely to " improve" his almond-eyed visitors off
the face of the earth.
The Chinese themselves are afraid of this eventuality,
and not long ago, in consequence of a rumour, of a rising
against them, they purchased all the arms they could, in
San Francisco, and stood on their defence.
CHAPTER IV.
CROSSING THE SIERRAS SALT LAKE CITY.
SLEEPING Cars Snow Sheds Trestle Bridges Shoshone Indians
Great American Desert Ogden Wahsatch Mountains
Salt Lake Salt Lake City Tabernacle Territory of Utah
The Mormons Their Religion Their Account of its Origin
Gentile Account Church Government History Service at
the Tabernacle Notes on Mormonism.
I LEFT Sacramento by the Central Pacific Railroad, for
Ogden, the terminus of that Company's section. This
journey occupies two days and nights, and would be
almost insupportable, were it not for the convenience of
the sleeping cars, which are most comfortable, and, being
well warmed by means of stoves, tend to render
endurable, at least, a trip that would otherwise be very
cold and monotonous. Owing to an accident on the line,
we were delayed some six hours. It is a pity that the
refreshment car, at one time attached to each train, has
been discontinued, as it now necessitates the passengers
getting out at each station, where the train stops for
refreshments.
Directly after leaving Sacramento, we commenced the
ascent of the Sierra Nevada, or Snowy Range, that great
tract of mountain country that forms the barrier between
38 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
the Pacific, and the Eastern States. The route lay, for
some time, through well-cultivated country ; until we
arrived at Colfax, a neat and thriving little place, con
taining about a thousand inhabitants ; where we attained
an elevation of 2,400 feet, having ascended to that height
in a distance of fifty miles. From Colfax we continued
our up-hill progress, and shortly passed along the very edge
of a tremendous chasm, 2,500 feet deep, and rounded a
bold promontory, called Cape Horn. The scenery here
is most grand and imposing, and continued so, until we
attained Summit Station, the highest point on the line, at
an altitude of 7,000 feet above the sea-level. We had
thus ascended 4,600 feet in the last fifty miles ; although
we were not at the highest point of the Sierra Nevada
range, but only the elevation of the mountain-pass, which
the railroad closely follows. One cannot but appreciate,
the energy displayed in the construction of this section
of the line, which is carried along the edge of precipices
2,000 and 3,000 feet deep ; and in places on narrow
ledges, which had to be excavated from the mountain side,
by men suspended from the top in baskets. Between
Colfax and Summit Stations, we passed the Great
American Canon, one of the grandest ravines in the
Sierra Nevada. The sides of this ravine stand like two
great perpendicular walls, each 2,000 feet high ; and
between them a river dashes impetuously onward, boiling
and seething, as though in a cauldron. During our ascent
CROSSING THE SIERRAS. 39
a heavy snowstorm was raging ; but, thanks to our well-
warmed cars, we could sit at our ease, and look out upon
the wild and weird scenery.
Shortly before arriving, and after leaving Summit
Station, we commenced to enter a succession of snow-
sheds, erected to guard the line from avalanches of snow.
These sheds or, more correctly speaking, long wooden
tunnels are solid structures, completely covering
the road for many miles, the longest of them measuring
i, 700 feet, and forming a great obstruction to the view.
We crossed the numerous gullies in the mountains on
trestle-bridges, the frail appearance of which, at first,
caused me some trepidation. They are only constructed
wide enough, to allow of a single line of rail being laid,
which rests upon open timbers ; and crossing them is
certainly quite a novel sensation, and one not unmixed
with fear; for, looking out of the car windows, one does
not see the track, and the train appears to be speeding
through the air, with perhaps a deep ravine and mountain
torrent 100 feet below.
The appearance of the Sierra generally, is that of a
snow-covered country, with the various summits peeping
out, like so many white mounds, covered with branching
pine trees, and diversified with foaming mountain
torrents.
We now commenced to descend, the track evidently
following the contour of the mountains ; for we seemed
40 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
to wind round them in a very tortuous manner. At one
time we would be whirling round the precipitous flank of
a mountain, the track being suspended seemingly in the
air ; at another, skirting the brink of a precipice, the
torrent washing its base, appearing to us like a silver
thread.
After passing through most romantic scenery, we
reached Truckee, a collection of wooden shanties, digni
fied with the appellation of " City," and dependent solely
upon the lumber trade.
Truckee is at an elevation of 5,850 feet, contains
about 2,000 inhabitants, and is situated on the river
Truckee, in the midst of country heavily timbered with
pine trees.
Continuing our course at the same high altitude, the
next interesting place reached by us was Battle Mount,
so called, from a sanguinary encounter, that here took
place between the Indians, and the white settlers. Here
we saw some of the Shoshone Indians, the original
inhabitants of this part of the country, who, with their
faces painted red, and their coarse black hair hanging
down their shoulders, looked a very low type of
humanity. The squaws, who begged money of us,
doubtless for the purpose of spending in " fire-water,"
carried their pappooses in blankets slung across their
backs. For the benefit of those who do not know what
a pappoose is, I will briefly explain. A pappoose is an
CROSSING THE SIERRAS. 41
Indian baby, strapped on a board about five feet in
length, leather and skins of animals being nailed to it
in such wise, that it resembles a huge slipper. The baby
is swathed from chin to foot, its hands even being tied
down ; so that nothing is visible of the living mummy
but the head, which is protected by a little hood of
wicker work, adorned with beads, feathers, and coloured
rags. The whole apparatus is generally carried on the
maternal head.
After passing Battle Mount, we traversed high plains,
destitute of vegetation, except the everlasting sage-bush,
and in places, the large deposits of alkali, prevented even
the growth of this hardy plant. This uninteresting tract
of country continued until we entered the Twelve-Mile
Canon, or Palisade. In this deep rocky ravine the
bleak, broken cliffs tower on either side, whilst beneath
us rolled the river, dashing up its spray as in a very
frenzy, and filling the air with its sound. One of the
most remarkable features of this canon is a perpendicular
mass of rock, 1,500 feet high, called the Devil's Peak.
We now approached Elko, and, striking the south fork of
the Humboldt River, we passed through a valley, the
slopes of which were dotted with the farms of the
settlers. Elko is a "city" of some 3,000 inhabitants,
of rising importance, being the point where the road to
the White Pine mining district branches off. Here we
could see teams of mules, laden with goods, ready to start,
42 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
or already on their way to Hamilton, and Treasure City, in
that district. Elko is laid out in streets, and contains
many stores and other buildings of a substantial character.
Leaving Elko, we soon reached the comparatively
cultivated country about Toano, a small place dependent
upon the mines of Eastern Nevada. This district con
tains the Sink of the Humboldt, a large sheet of water
into which the Humboldt River, after its course of 300
miles, empties itself, but which has no outlet.
We now entered upon the Great American Desert, and
the journey became very monotonous ; nothing to be
seen, as far as the eye could reach, but a dreary plain,
shut in by mountains, and covered with a dry kind of
bush, about four inches high. This plain is sixty miles
long, and as many wide; and does not bear a living
creature on its surface excepting lizards and a small
animal called a jackass-rabbit. It is supposed by
geologists to have been, at one time, the bed of a large
inland sea. It is so thickly crusted with alkaline dust,
that, from a distance, it looks as if it were covered with
snow. This alkali burns the boots like lime, and the
infinitesimal particles, floating in the air, irritate the
throat and lungs. Altogether, we were very pleased to
get out of it, and it was with a feeling of thankfulness we
left it behind us.
After passing Corinne, the only little town in the
territory of Utah, essentially Gentile, we arrived at
THE GREAT SALT LAKE. 43
Brigham City, a Mormon settlement, which is surrounded
by fruit trees, and bears a close resemblance to an
English hamlet.
We now approached the Great Salt Lake the
American Dead Sea and after skirting it for some time,
came upon the cultivated country about Ogden , a clean
little Mormon town of about 6,000 inhabitants, possessing
a Tabernacle. At Ogden I took the cars of the Utah
Central Railway Company, which at this place forms a
junction with the Central Pacific line, and arrived at Salt
Lake City in two hours' time; the journey being down a
steep gradient, where, steam being shut off, the train pro
ceeded at a great rate, by its own momentum only. I had
expected to find a mild genial climate in Salt Lake City,
arriving, as I did, in the middle of May, but was disap
pointed, as the whole country was still covered with snow.
The city is built at the foot of the Wahsatch Moun
tains, which were covered with snow from the summits
to the base, and looked very imposing, seeming, as they
did, to lift their white-capped tops right into the clouds.
A storm in these mountains, witnessed from the city, is a
grand sight. Two peaks or summits, called the Twin
Peaks, distant about 15 miles south-easterly, are n,ooo
feet high, and have never been free from snow since the
settlement in this valley.
Salt Lake, that veritable Dead Sea, is 120 miles long,
by about 45 miles broad, and contains seven islands.
44 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
Its waters are so salt that nothing can live in them, and
the fish that find their way down the rivers Jordan, and
Weber, are soon killed. It is said, that enough salt to
supply the whole world, could be obtained by evaporation.
I took a sail on the lake, but found its banks destitute of
vegetation, and its dreary, barren, appearance uninviting.
The rivers Jordan and Weber empty themselves into the
lake, but there is no outlet ; and the waters are said to
have risen some 10 feet since 1850. A peculiar feature
of Salt Lake is two rocks : one, a great mass, rising
abruptly out of the water, and standing black and
desolate, called Black Rock ; the other, overhanging the
margin, and bearing an indistinct resemblance to a human
face, is called Profile Rock.
Salt Lake City is situated at the foot of the Wahsatch
Mountains, on a plain that has, by indomitable perseve
rance and toil, been converted from a wilderness,
impregnated with alkali, and productive only of sage-
bush, into a smiling agricultural country, dotted over with
the farms, or, as they are here called, the "ranches" of
the settlers.
A slight description of this most remarkable city may
not be out of place, before I proceed to give an account
of the people who inhabit it, and of the territory in which
it is situated.
Salt Lake City is regularly laid out in the form of the
letter L ; the larger portion stretching east and west, and
SALT LAKE CITY. 45
the shorter north and south. The streets as is usual in
all new American towns are wide, cross one another at
right angles, and follow the cardinal points of the com
pass ; but they possess an unique appearance, as they have
brooks of clear water flowing down either side, and
watering the roots of trees, planted so, as to cast a pleasant
shade over the pathway. These shade-trees, bordering
every thoroughfare, and the numerous orchards in, and
around the city, give it the appearance of being em
bowered in foliage very refreshing to the eye in the hot
season. The city is laid out in square blocks of ten
acres each, covers a space of about nine square miles,
and contains a population of some 25,000 inhabitants ;
20,000 of whom are Mormons, and the remainder
Gentiles as all are called who do not profess the faith
of Mormon.
Prominent amongst the principal buildings is the
Tabernacle, an oval building, 250 feet long, by 150 feet
wide, and 80 feet high, built on stone pillars 20 feet high,
the roof being a lattice-work of red pine, unsupported by
a single column. From its peculiar form it is a promi
nent feature in the city, and can be recognized from
every part of it, by its egg-shaped, dome-like roof. It
has a gallery running round three sides of the building, and
will seat from 10,000 to 12,000 people. The acoustic
properties are splendid ; and it would form a good model
on which to build music and lecture halls. A person
46 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
speaking in his usual tone of voice, can be heard all over
the large building. It possesses the third largest organ
in the United States, the tone of which is very fine ; and
it is noteworthy, that this organ, with its front towers 58
feet high and its gilded pipes 38 feet long, was entirely
built in the city.
The other principal edifices are the Courthouse, the
University, the City Hall, and the Theatre. The new
Temple, now in course of erection, is intended to be on
a colossal scale ; it has been many years in building, and
will not be completed for many years to come. It forms
the centre of the hopes of the many thousand devotees
of Mormonism, who seem to regard its erection as an
article of faith. It is to be devoted to such preliminary
rites and ceremonies as baptisms, washings, anointings,
etc.
The Territory of Utah, of which Salt Lake City is the
capital, contains a population of 86,605 ; of whom
about 60,000 may be Mormons, the remainder being, for
the most part, miners attracted by the great mineral
wealth of the Territory rich veins of gold, silver, iron,
and other metals having been discovered.
By the last census, it is seen that the males exceed
the females by 1,277 j but it must be borne in mind that,
in ordinary cases, in newly settled countries, the males
much more largely outnumber the females. The returns
for Salt Lake City also show how largely the " peculiar
UTAH. 47
institution" of the Mormons is sustained by the foreign
portion of the community. The native-born population
number 10,236, and the males exceed the females by 78;
the foreign-born population are 7,010 in number, and
the females exceed the males by 686. Thus, in the
native population of Salt Lake City, the proportion is 50
females to 51 males; and in the foreign, 38 females to
31 males. If children, who are probably in about equal
proportions, be excepted, the excess of women over
men becomes more marked.
Utah, thirty years ago a desert, is now a land of
industry and wealth; its soil teeming with riches, and
supporting a large population, who enjoy in peace, the
products of their labour. Prosperous little towns, and
villages, extend over a distance of 500 miles; and 220
schools provide for the mental cultivation, of the rising
generation.
Utah, like other territories in the Union, returns one
member to Congress, who has the privilege of taking
part in a debate, but not the power of voting. It con
tains thirty incorporated towns ; and the government is
vested in a Governor, chosen by the President of the
United States, a Council of thirteen members, and a
House of Representatives of twenty-six members, both
being elected for two years, and the sessions being
biennial. Copies of all laws passed by the Assembly,
and signed by the Governor, are forwarded to the
48 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
presiding officers of both Houses of Congress : and if
disapproved by that body, become null and void. The
Governor is elected for four years ; and Brigham Young,
President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day
Saints, once occupied the position. The United States
maintain a garrison of 1,700 men, at a distance of three
miles from the city, at a remarkably picturesque place,
called Camp Douglas.
The judicial power of the Territory consists of a
Supreme Court, District, and Probate Courts, and Justices
of the Peace. The Supreme Court is presided over by
the Chief Justice and two associate Judges, all appointed
by the President of the United States. The Territory
is divided into three districts, one of the Judges of the
Supreme Court being allotted to each as District Judge.
Justices of the peace have no jurisdiction in cases
involving sums of over $100, or in questions of boun
daries, or titles of land. A Probate Judge is elected for
each county, by the Legislative Assembly. He holds
office for four years, and has civil, criminal, and surrogate
jurisdiction in cases arising in the county. Appeals may
be taken from the Probate to the District Court, and
thence to the Supreme Court. Each county elects in
addition, for three years, three select men, who, with the
Probate Judge, form a County Court, whose business is
to divide the county into precincts or municipalities,
school districts, roads, boundaries of irrigation districts,
THE MORMONS. 49
to levy taxes for the erection and maintenance of county
buildings, and provide for pounds for stray cattle, &c.
It has been attempted to get the Territory of Utah incor
porated as a State in the Union, under the name of the
" State of Deseret," but polygamy stands in the way.
Socially, the people are hard-working and industrious,
as is proved by the fact that the first pioneers arrived in
these vallies in 1 847, and they have, in thirty years,
transformed what was then a barren desert into a pro
ductive country, giving homes to thousands. They were
certainly fortunate in their choice of country; for, although
the soil, impregnated as it was with alkali, did not yield
much for the first few years, yet, after being turned over
several times, this very alkali in the soil served as an
element of richness. The early settlers, too, when the
gold discoveries in California took place, were right in the
track of the miners and others travelling overland to the
El Dorado, and reaped great profit out of them.
They profess the faith of Mormon, as revealed to their
Prophet, Joseph Smith, under the style of the " Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints." The following is the
Mormon account of the origin of their belief : Joseph
Smith, the founder, Was born at Sharon, Vermont, in
1805 ; he was an early seeker after knowledge, and was
rewarded by having a vision. In this vision he saw two
Celestial Beings the Father and the Son who took the
trouble to inform him, that all existing Faiths were
5
50 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
incorrect ; that the Covenant once made with Israel was
near fulfilment ; and that he had been chosen the
instrument to prepare the people for the second advent
of the Saviour the millennium being close at hand. At
a later period he had another vision ; this time seeing
the Angel Moroni, who delivered to him a series of
metal plates, of the appearance of gold, eight inches
long and six inches wide, bound together like the leaves
of a book by three rings ; thus forming a volume six
inches thick, written in Egyptian characters. He
received at the same time the Urim and Thumim, two
transparent stones, set in the two rims of a bow, and
used in the same manner as spectacles. By the help of
these he translated the records, and learned that the
American continent was first colonized by a people who
came from the Tower of Babel, after the confusion of
tongues, who were called Jaredites ; and also by a colony
direct from Jerusalem, about six centuries B.C. ; these
latter being Israelites, the descendants of Joseph. He
also learned that the Saviour appeared in America after
His Resurrection ; that He planted there the Gospel in
all its fulness; that there were Apostles, Prophets,
Pastors, Teachers, and Evangelists, and the same ordi
nances were enjoyed as in the Eastern Hemisphere ; that
the people were cut off because of their great trans
gressions ; and that their last prophets were commanded
to write on metal plates an abridgment of their pro-
THE MORMONS. 51
phecies, history, &c., and to hide them in the earth,
until such time as they should be brought forth and be
united to the Bible, for the accomplishment of God's
purposes in the latter days. The records proceeded to
tell how the Jaredites were destroyed about the time the
Israelites arrived in the country ; and how the latter
became divided into two nations, the Nephites, or
followers of Nephi, the inspired writer of the metal
plates ; and the Lamanites, or unbelievers, who, for their
sins, were condemned to have red skins, and to become
" an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety," and whose
descendants are the present American Indians. How
the Nephites fell in battle against the Lamanites, towards
the close of the fourth century, and how they buried the
plates, as instructed, at Mount Cumorah, where they
made their final unsuccessful stand. The translation of
these records, made by Joseph Smith, forms the Book of
Mormon, or Golden Bible, as it was at first called, upon
which is founded modern Mormonism.
This Mormon account of the foundation of the belief
might have remained unquestioned had that farrago of
ancient Jewish ceremonies, grafted upon a spurious kind
of Christianity, called Mormonism, remained within its
original limits, especially as its professors were a harmless,
hard-working class, and the Book of Mormon inculcated
morality and specially prohibited polygamy. But as the
numbers of converts increased, so the Revelation of
52 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
Celestial Marriage was introduced ; and its debasing
effects converted the members of the new sect into law
breakers, and made them a cancer and sore in the heart
of the civilized communities amongst which they dwelt,
and thus awakened that feeling of animosity and open
hostility against which they have had to contend.
In juxtaposition, therefore, to the Mormon account
given above, I will place the Gentile version, as proved
by researches made. The Smith family is said, in the
sworn testimony of sixty of the most respectable citizens,
of Wayne County, to have been " false, immoral, and
fraudulent," and Joseph, " the worst of the whole. ' r
Whatever value may attach to this sworn testimony,.
Joseph Smith, on the showing of Orson Pratt, the Mormon
Bishop, led a most dissolute and disreputable life. To
distinguish, however, whether he was a religious enthu
siast or an impostor, it is necessary to examine the
Gentile version of the episode connected with the finding.
and translation of the Book of Mormon. It is to the
effect that Solomon Spaulding, born at Ashford, Con
necticut, in 1761, a graduate of Dartmouth College, who
had formerly been a minister of religion, but who after
wards went into trade and became insolvent, wrote a
religious novel, entitled " The Manuscript Found/' based
upon the theory then prevalent that the Indians were
the descendants of the ten lost tribes of Israel ; and that
to this production Smith was indebted for his Book of
THE MORMONS. 53
Mormon. The evidences in favour of such being the
case are very strong, the plot and characters being the
same in both ; the difference between them being only
the addition in Smith's book of some ungrammatical
religious matter. The leading characters in both are
Mormon and his son Moroni, Lehi, Nephi, and the
Lamanites. It was only in the latter end of the year
1827 that Smith professed to have received the plates,
and as early as 1813 "The Manuscript Found" was
advertised in the papers as shortly forthcoming, " with a
full account of the Book of Mormon." In 1812, it had
been placed in the hands of a Mr. Patterson, a printer, in
Pittsburg; but before any arrangements could be made
for its publication Spaulding died, the MSS. remaining
in Patterson's possession. It is supposed that a copy
was made, or the original MSS. stolen, by one Sidney
Rigdon, a compositor in Patterson's office, who afterwards
joined the Mormons and became a prominent man
amongst them.
Smith's mode of procedure, when translating the
" plates," was certainly suspicious. A blanket was sus
pended across the room, to conceal the sacred records
from profane and prying eyes, and, sitting behind this
screen, by the help of the spectacles before mentioned,
he dictated to Oliver Cowderoy, his coadjutor, the sup
posititious translation. The work, when completed,
before publication, required corroboration, and three
54 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
witnesses were accordingly <l raised up " in the persons
of Oliver Cowderoy, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris
all of whom afterwards quarrelled with Smith, and, in
consequence, apostatized, when they denied the genuine
ness of the records. Eight other witnesses were after
wards found, who made declarations that they had seen
and handled the metal plates translated by Smith. All
these eight persons, however, belonged to two families
only, and three of them were the father and two brothers
of Smith. With these exceptions, no person, either
Mormon or Gentile, has seen these records, and all
knowledge of them is quite traditional. No sooner was
the Book of Mormon published than the widow and
brother of Spaulding identified it with the novel of " The
Manuscript Found ;" and several others, who had heard
portions read, did the same. All these facts tend to
prove that the whole was a fraud on the part of Smith,
for the purposes, it is to be presumed, of gain and
notoriety.
Finding it necessary to confirm his power on a sure
basis, and to form a proper church government for the
increased numbers of the new sect, Smith declared that
the Saviour, Moses, Elias, and Elijah had appeared to-
himself and Cowderoy, and had delivered into their
hands the keys of the various priesthoods, and unlimited
spiritual and temporal power; and that from St. John
the Baptist they had received the powers of baptism.
THE MORMONS. 55
In consequence, the pure priesthoods, Melchizedek and
Levitical which had existed in their purity in the time
of Moses, and which, after degeneration, had been
revived by Christ in the persons of the Apostles were
again to be resuscitated in their most perfect form by
Smith, with the assistance of these later revelations.
The church government, gradually built up after the
receipt of these powers, was divided into the t\vo
branches Melchizedek and Levitical as enjoined, the
latter presided over by the Bishop, and is at the
present time vested in the following officers : the Presi
dent of the Church, who is assisted in his deliberations
by two councillors, also called Presidents ; the Patriarch,
who is the second officer in point of dignity ; the twelve
Apostles, called the Council of Twelve, whose duties are
to ordain all elders, priests, teachers, and deacons, and
to baptize and administer the sacrament ; the Quorum of
Seventy, who are under the direction of the " twelve,"
and who form the missionaries and preachers of the sect;
the High Priests, who are men advanced in years, and
who officiate in the offices of the church, in the absence
of the higher authorities ; the elders, who preside at
meetings, and exercise a general supervision over the
priests ; the teachers, who are assistants to the priests ;
and the deacons, who act as church collectors, and per
form minor offices. The Council of Twelve, the Quorum
of Seventy, the Patriarch, High Priests, and elders,
56 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
belong to the Melchizedek order ; the Bishop, priests,
teachers, and deacons, to the Levitical. The duties of
the latter order are to attend to the work of the Temple,
and its members are chosen from the " lineal descendants
of Aaron," who are pointed out by special revelation.
Every lay member of the community pays, either in
money or kind, a tithing, for the receipt of which a
public office in the President's house is set aside ; and,
as this is a heavy tax upon the farmers the principal
producing class and no proper accounts of expenditure
are kept, a great unwillingness to pay the tithe is mani
festing itself, and both pulpit and press continually call
attention to the fact.
As is natural, from the peculiar tenets held by the
Mormons, they have encountered much hostility. They
were driven from Palmyra, in New York State, where the
belief was first founded by Smith ; when they migrated to
Kirtland, in Ohio. Here, also, they were not long per
mitted to remain, and they then proceeded to the State
of Illinois, settling near the town of Commerce, which
they called Nauvoo, or City of Beauty. The country
under their auspices soon changed its appearance, and
the settlement became very thriving, until the animosity
of the citizens of the State was aroused by certain acts of
the new sect ; when they rose in arms and expelled them,
after having killed Joseph Smith. The Mormons, under
the leadership of Brigham Young, now took refuge in
THE MORMONS. 57
their present home the valley of the Salt Lake which
they have occupied for the past thirty years ; but their
stay there does not promise to be of much longer duration,
as, since the completion of the Pacific Railroad, which
brings them into communication with the Eastern and
Pacific States, there has been a great irruption of " outer
barbarians," attracted by the rich mining in the Territory.
This contact with the Gentiles does not agree with the
" peculiar institutions" of the Mormons, who now medi
tate a general exodus to Mexico, with the Government
of which country President Young has negotiated for the
settlement of a large tract of country, to be enrolled as a
State in that Republic.
Polygamy, as has before been mentioned, was originally
denounced by the Book of Mormon; and it is denied by
many that Smith was the author of the Revelation of
Celestial Marriage, but that it was added by Young and
Pratt. Certain it is, that Smith's four sons do not give in
their adherence to it, and have formed a schism in the
church, having a large following under the name of
" Josephites."
I went to the Tabernacle on Sunday to attend the
service, which consisted of hymns, sung by a fair choir,
with organ accompaniment ; what seemed to be extem
pore prayers, delivered by several of the elders ; a long
sermon by the bishop, Orson Pratt, and the administering
of the sacrament. The preacher deduced from texts,
58 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
taken from Daniel and Matthew, evidently to the entire
satisfaction of his hearers, that the world was near its
end, that the millennium was nigh, and that God's King
dom i.e., the Mormons was about to be saved. He
attempted to show that the signs of the times all tended
to point towards the second coming of the Messiah ; and
further stated that, if asked what would replace the
various forms of government existing in the world, his
own opinion was, that the best parts of the constitutions
of the United States and Great Britain might be retained
in the coming Kingdom of God. The whole service, to
me, seemed wanting in solemnity, and the Bishop's address
sounded very much like rank blasphemy. The attend
ance at the Tabernacle could not have exceeded 2,500 ;
but I was assured that the paucity of the numbers was
in consequence of the bad weather, and that the general
average is very much larger. The appearance of the
congregation was poor in the extreme, and it would be a
difficult matter to find in any place of worship a more
imintellectual-looking lot of people.
And now a few words, before closing this chapter, as
to how the whole affair strikes a stranger. Any dispps-
sionate observer, after staying among these people a
short time, cannot fail but come to the conclusion that
the whole is a gigantic fraud ; such an one, in fact, as
could only be originated and carried out by our American
cousins. The system enriches and aggrandizes the
NOTES ON MORMONISM. 59-
leaders at the expense of the poor deluded beings the
rank and file whose industry and indomitable perse
verance have to bear the pressure of supporting the
drones their leaders who live upon them. The greater
part of the tithe undoubtedly finds its way into the pockets
of Brigham Young, who subdivides among his leading
elders according to desert, i.e., the extent of their sub
serviency to him. The various leaders of this peculiar
people possess nice villa residences and drive in fine
carriages, the President, Brigham Young, having no less
than three large mansions, called respectively the Lion
and the Beehive houses ; the third, recently erected, has
not as yet received a name. As he has eighteen wives
and forty-four children, it is easily imagined that much
accommodation is needed. One of his wives, Ann
Eliza Young, recently obtained a divorce from him, and
published a book, exposing the evils of Mormonism, by
which, it is said, she has realized a little competency.
Though Brigham Young is the head of the Church, he
yet takes a prominent part in lay matters. He is director
of several companies, banks, &c., and is largely interested
in a mercantile business called the " Zion's Co-operative
Mercantile Institute." This latter is conducted on a very
extensive scale, and has its ramifications and branches, not
alone in the city itself, but throughout the whole Territory.
The rising generation, notably the female portion, are
said to be averse to polygamy ; and, if sudi be the case,.
<5o TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
this fact, combined with the increasing communication
with the outer world, may tend, in time, to stamp out
this great evil. At present, it is growing, and growing
rapidly, as, in addition to the excess of births over deaths,
there is a large immigration going in. Shortly after my
departure, an increase was made to their numbers by
the arrival of some five hundred immigrants under the
leadership of several elders.
CHAPTER V.
OVER THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS CHICAGO.
DEVIL'S GATE Weber Canon Devil's Slide Echo Canon
Castle Rocks Plains Sherman Prairie Dog Villages
Omaha Bridge over the Missouri Burlington History of
Chicago Great Fire Fine Position Water Supply Streets
Parks Public Buildings Grain Trade Cattle Trade
Pork Packing Hotels.
LEAVING Salt Lake City, I arrived at Ogden in time to
catch the early train of the Union Pacific Railway
Company, eastward bound.
From Ogden we passed through well-cultivated
country, divided into farms, with comfortable-looking
homesteads, and soon entered the Wahsatch Mountains
through a chasm called the Devil's Gate, on a high
trestle-bridge, elevated fifty feet above a torrent that
dashed through the gorge. We were now in that region
of grand and most imposing beauty called the Weber
Canon. Fortunate in passing through in the daytime, I
had an opportunity of seeing this, the most interesting
part of the route from the Pacific to the Atlantic. The
road winds through the devious turns of this canon,
where rock-ribbed mountains snow-capped rise to an
awful height on either side, destitute of vegetation,
except here and there a stunted pine-tree. This rocky
region lies between the valleys of the Salt Lake and the
62 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
Green River, and the train has to pass through five
tunnels, having an aggregate length of 2,000 feet, cut
through solid rock, which never crumbles, and does not
require to be arched with brick.
Shortly after entering Weber Canon we passed that
wonderful natural rock formation called the Devil's Slide,
which consists of two ridges of rock standing some ten
feet out from the face of the mountain, up which they
extend, parallel to one another, for a distance of, perhaps,
200 feet. For some thirty miles we continued our way
through the dark deep cleft of this canon, the rocks
assuming most fantastic shapes, and the Weber River
raging below. From the shape the rocks assume, they
have received such names as Pulpit Rocks, Witch
Rocks, &c.
Emerging from Weber Canon, we soon again entered
a defile in the mountains called Echo Canon. This is a
deep, rugged ravine, some seven miles in length, flanked
on the left-hand side by bold precipitous cliffs, from 300
to 800 feet high, totally destitute of vegetation, and
waterworn by the action of storms. The opposite side,
.-sheltered from the southerly gales, is composed o
sloping masses of rock, covered with moss and other
vegetation ; and of gently undulating hills. In the gully
below, a beautifully clear stream flows placidly through
the channel it has made for itself in the rock ; but about
half-way down, the ravine narrows to a mere defile, and
OVER THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. 63
here the river seems to grow wilder, and, like an athlete,
to gather up its strength to overcome at a bound the
obstacles in its course. Here, too, the banks are steeper,
the vegetation more luxuriant, and the lofty cliffs on the
left are broken up into all manner of fantastic outlines.
As we flitted rapidly by, it was easy to imagine that
these masses of red rock, piled one above the other to
such an enormous height, assumed the shape of any
object uppermost in our minds ; but, on approaching the
celebrated Castle Rocks, almost at the outlet of the
canon, it needed no stretch of imagination to picture a
huge baronial castle, for there it seemingly stood before
us, with its solid walls frowning down upon us, with its
towers and keep, as if wrought by the hands of giants.
Here are to be seen the massive boulders and huge
masses of rock collected on the brink of the precipice,
and intended to have been hurled down upon the
enemies of Mormonism the United States forces, under
General Johnson, sent out against the Mormons in 1857.
After passing Echo Canon, we arrived at Castle Rocks
station, and shortly afterwards left the Territory of Utah,
at Granger. The scenery continued of a mountainous
character until we arrived at Green River station, where
we began to traverse bleak and desolate plains, covered
with that unpleasant alkaline dust which so effectually
prevents the growth of anything but the hardy sage-bush.
On these plains not a living thing is to be seen but
64 TRANS-PACTFIC SKETCHES.
jackass-rabbits and lizards, and this continues for two
hundred miles. We soon re-commenced our up-hill
progress, and could perceive how rapid was our ascent
by the increased coldness and rarefaction of the atmo
sphere. Passing Laramie City, a rising little town that
owes its origin and prosperity to the Pacific Railway, and
where the Company have some machine shops, and, what
is very praiseworthy, a good hospital for the cure of their
employes when sick or in case of accidents, we soon
crossed the Dale Creek bridge. This bridge is 650 feet
in length, and through its interstices we could see the
valley and little meandering stream 126 feet below us.
It is built of timber, and has a very frail appearance,
though capable of supporting the heaviest train.
Continuing our ascent, we soon reached Sherman,
named after General Sherman, the " tallest" officer in the
American army ; where we attained the highest point on
the line an elevation above the level of the sea of 8,250
feet. This is the highest station in the world, and we
were literally above the clouds, for we could see them
below us resting on the sides of the mountain. From
this point we commenced to descend, through ruggeii
granite hills, winding in and out of interminable snow-
sheds, until we arrived at Cheyenne City, the principal
station on the line between Ogden and Omaha.
Cheyenne is already a place of some importance, with
a population numbering about 4,000; and as it is the
OVER THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. 65
point of junction of the line to Denver, the capital of the
State of Colorado, and the Pacific line, it seems likely to
become a thriving and prosperous town. It is situated on
a broad plain, watered by the Crow Creek, at an elevation
of 6,041 feet, and is barely ten years old, the first house
having been built in 1867. It was at one time a very
" rowdy " place, but its reckless times are now over, the
worst portion of the population having been drafted off
to other places. I may mention that we here obtained
capital antelope steaks, which have a flavour between
that of beef and venison.
Passing Cheyenne, we lost sight of the Rocky Moun
tains, that vast mountain chain that, with great variety of
configuration and under different names, extends from
the Arctic Ocean to the Straits of Magellan ; that won
drous barrier which Nature seems to have reared to pre
vent the encroachment of the waters of the Pacific. Seen
from this point, they look like white clouds in the distance.
For about two hundred and fifty miles we now passed
through a vast grazing country, covered all the year
round with a good nutritious grass. We saw several
herds of antelope feeding on its verdurous slopes, and
now and then caught a glimpse of buffaloes in the
distance. A remarkable feature are the prairie-dog
villages, where several thousands of these small animals
live in communities, burrowing in the earth like rabbits.
The Prairie-dog, or Wish-ton-Wish (Spermophilus Ludo-
6
66 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
vidimus) is a rodent ; and its popular name is due to
the short yelping sound which it utters, when alarmed,
and which resembles the bark of a young puppy. It is a
pretty little animal, measuring about sixteen inches in
length. The head, being peculiarly flat, gives it a very
remarkable appearance. It resembles the rabbit in many
respects, burrowing, and, like it, is very prolific. As our
train approached this " village," which occupies several
hundred acres, honeycombed by a labyrinth of subter
ranean passages, we could hear the alarm given, and
could see the little animals scampering off to their
burrows, into which they disappeared with a comical
little flourish of their hind legs. Their curiosity, how
ever, seemed irrepressible, for presently we could see
their little heads protruding cautiously from the burrows,
and their inquisitive little eyes prying to discover the
cause of the disturbance.
The prairies here appear boundless, stretching away as
far as the eye can reach, and then disappearing into
space. There are portions under cultivation, but these
farms seem swallowed up in the immensity of the
country. There is an undulating sweep, or " roll," in
these prairies, that, combined with the want of trees, and
the multitude of tiny blossoms on the turf, give them all
the appearance of the ocean.
After passing the prairies we entered the valley of the
Platte River, which, in this season of the year the early
OVER THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. 67
summer, before the grasses and flowers have withered,
and the streams still meander through it is particularly
attractive. The Platte River itself is broad, being fully
three-quarters of a mile across ; but it is a sluggish
stream, quite useless for navigation, as the water is said
to be only some few inches deep.
We skirted its banks for some distance ; and, after
passing several stations of more or less importance,
arrived at Elkhorn, a pretty little place situated on the
river of the same name, which is 300 miles long, and
flows through a valley of good and productive land. This
is quite a German settlement ; and as the settlers are at
no loss for cheap and abundant supplies of food, it is a
most thriving one. The river abounds with good fish,
and game is abundant ; and each snug little farm-house
seems to possess a good orchard and garden. The lines
of these settlers have certainly fallen in pleasant places.
We now rapidly approached Omaha, the terminus of
the Union Pacific and other lines ; to which fact it owes
its rise and progress. It is built on the western bank of
the Missouri River, on a high ridge, which rises some fifty
feet above the water level. Though barely twenty years old,
it already possesses a population of about 25,000 inhabi
tants, and is a bustling, thriving place, with numerous
fine buildings and two daily papers. It bids fair to
become one of the most important of Western cities.
At Omaha we crossed the River Missouri, on the great
68 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
iron bridge, to Council Bluffs, on the opposite bank of
the river. This bridge has only recently been completed,
and replaces the old bridge of boats, which necessitated
passengers descending from the cars and crossing the
river on foot. This has been obviated by the completion
of this great engineering work, which completes an
unbroken line of railway from the Pacific to the Atlantic.
This bridge is of enormous length, built entirely of iron,
the abutments being hollow pillars, sunk below the bed
of the river to a strata of rock, and filled with granite.
^Its cost of construction was ^200,000. Electing to
proceed to Chicago by the Burlington and Quincy Rail
road, I took the cars of that company, and soon found
that we began to move at a much quicker pace ; for,
whereas our progress from San Francisco had been only
twenty- two miles an hour, we now proceeded at a rate
of thirty-five, The road passed through fine farming
country in the State of Illinois, many spots being
perfect pictures of rural beauty, with here and there a
town nestling in amongst the trees. Some of these towns
are of great commercial importance. Burlington, a town
of some 20,000 inhabitants, situated on the Mississippi
River, is the principal : Aurora and Galesburg are also
large towns. At Burlington we crossed the Mississippi
on a magnificent iron bridge.
After a continuous journey from Ogden of three days
and a half, we arrived at Chicago. This incessant day
CHICAGO. 69
and night travelling, would certainly be prejudicial to
health ; were the jar and vibration of the bogie carriages,
in use throughout America, as great as in the carriages
on our own lines. Chicago is, in population, the
third city of the Union; in commercial importance, it
ranks after New York ; its population may be set down
at 400,000. In 1830, it was only a trading station with
the Indians, consisting at that time of a few log houses
only ; and the city has attained its present proportions,
since that comparatively recent date. What causes it,
however, to be regarded as the most remarkable city in
the world, is the fact, that since the great fire of 1871, the
greatest conflagration of modern times in which three
and a half square miles of the principal part of the city
were burned; in which 17,450 buildings were destroyed,
and 98,000 people rendered homeless ; the monetary loss
of which, was estimated at little short of thirty-seven
millions sterling, ten millions only of which, were covered
by insurance the city has sprung up like a phoenix out
of its ashes, and now shows but few traces of the dire
calamity. The buildings destroyed, have all been
replaced by noble stone edifices; so that now Chicago may
justly claim to be a " City of Palaces." In 1874, another
fire broke out in the devoted city, and six hundred acres
of buildings were consumed ; yet, in spite of these
disastrous drawbacks, Chicago exhibits but few remains
of either devastation.
70 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
The position of the city is most favourable, being
situated mid-way between the Eastern and Western
States ; on Lake Michigan, which gives it a splendid
water-way. It is also the centre of a vast railway system,
and has in consequence become the greatest grain
emporium in the world, and also the largest cattle and
lumber market. It has not been without straining every
nerve, that the city has been rebuilt in such an incal
culably short time; house rents are very high in
consequence, and ratepayers obtain some concession,
by paying their rates in advance.
Chicago is well laid out, the streets being generally
eighty feet wide ; some of them are from three to seven
miles in length, run due north to south, and east to west,
and cross one another at right angles. The Chicago
River runs through the city, and with its two branches,
divides it into three parts ; between which, communica
tion is effected by means of thirty-three bridges. These
bridges swing on central pivots, and have to be opened
to allow vessels to pass ; but as this is found to interrupt
the street traffic, they are commencing to build tunnels,
under the bed of the river. Two have already been
completed ; one connects the northern and western
divisions of the city, and is 1,600 feet long; the other
joins the northern and southern, and is 1,900 feet in
length.
The water supply system is excellent. A tunnel has
CHICAGO. 71
been constructed, extending two miles under the lake :
into this the water enters through a grated cylinder in an
immense crib, on which a lighthouse, and signal-station
have been erected. This tunnel connects with a tower
130 feet high, up which the water is forced, by four
engines, having a daily pumping capacity of 72,000,000
gallons ; and it flows thence to all parts of the city.
The principal streets are State-street (the Broadway of
Chicago), Lake, Clark, La Salle, Randolph, Dearborn,
and Maddison streets. These are principally devoted to
business purposes; the best private residences are in
Wabash and Michigan Avenues, which have a semi-
suburban appearance, and are planted with double rows
of fine trees.
The park system is unrivalled. There are six parks,
covering altogether an area of 1,900 acres, which are
connected by a series of fine boulevards, extending
round the city, and forming thirty miles of fine drives ;
in addition to those in arid around the parks. Lincoln
Park is a good specimen of landscape gardening ; it
possesses fine trees, an artificial river, lake, and hills ;
and contains many summer houses, and rustic seats and
bridges. Humboldt, Central, Douglas, South, and
Union, are all nice parks ; especially the latter, which
only contains some seventeen acres, but is so well laid
out, that it has the appearance of being much larger.
The principal public buildings were destroyed during
72 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
the fire, and whilst all, or nearly all the business premises
have been rebuilt ; the re-construction of the former, is
being more slowly proceeded with. The new building
to be used as a Custom-house and Post-office, now in
course of erection, at an estimated cost of $4,000000,
gives promise of being one of the finest in the country.
The Courthouse, the building of which is also being
very slowly proceeded with, will be a fine edifice. The
Chamber of Commerce is very elaborate in its interior
decorations. A visitor, accustomed to the quiet and
orderly conduct of English Chambers of Commerce, must
be astonished, at the noise and excitement, that here
prevail. It is devoted principally to the interests of the
grain trade ; and the samples of wheat, maize, flour, &c.,
are displayed on small tables, which are always surrounded
by crowds of buyers and sellers, whose shouting and
gesticulating, convert the hall into a perfect little
pandemonium.
The grain trade of this city is colossal. In 1872,
which be it remembered, was only one year after the
fire ; 86,000,000 bushels were received, and exported.
The mode of conducting this trade is as follows : the
railway brings the grain into the warehouses, which are
immensely high buildings, situated on the river side.
The grain is received, and shipped loose, the use of bags
being dispensed with ; it is shovelled into the elevators,
and taken up to the top of the building, where it is run
CHICAGO. 73
over to the other side, and discharged into the ships
through big shoots. A day's transactions at one of the
fifteen grain-elevating stores in the city, which have an
aggregate storage capacity of 13,000,000 bushels; will
give some idea of the magnitude of this trade. Some
days 600 railway trucks are unloaded, the daily average
being 370, each of which, contains 400 bushels; each
elevator in the building, and there are twenty-four, raises
600 bushels per hour.
The cattle trade, the next largest industry of Chicago,
is of almost equal magnitude. The value of the live
stock imported in 1873, was $80,000,000. The trade is
carried on outside the city, at the Union Cattle and
Stock Yards, which are so extensive, that they merit a
description. These yards comprise 345 acres, of which
100 are enclosed as pens. They have thirty-one miles of
drainage, seven miles of roadway, 2,300 gates, and cost
nearly ; 400,000 ; they have accommodation for 21,000
cattle, 75,000 hogs, 22,000 sheep, and 200 horses.
Connected with the yards, are an hotel, a bank, a Board
of Trade ; and a town of 4,000 inhabitants has sprung up
just outside with churches, schools, &c.
Some of the pork-packing establishments are in close
proximity to the yards. This is also a very extensive
industry ; as in 1872, 1,500,000 hogs, and 16,000
cattle were packed. The process, seen for the first time,
is rather interesting. The hog, pressed onward by those
74 TRANS PACIFIC SKETCHES.
behind, proceeds up an inclined plane, through a door,
which might appropriately be inscribed with Dante's
"All hope abandon, ye who enter here,"
into a pen, in the upper part of the packing-house. Here
a chain, attached to a pulley in a sliding frame, is slipped
over one leg ; and he is jerked up, his throat cut,
his body lowered into a vat of boiling water, taken out,
scraped, disembowelled, and hung up to cool. In this
manner, a hog, which had ascended the inclined plane in
all the pride of youth, strength, and porcine beauty ; was
within a few minutes, lying in the lower story of the
packing-house, cut up, salted, and ready for exportation.
The lumber trade is also one of the principal resources
of the city, it having been computed, that in 1873, a
billion feet of lumber were received.
Chicago possesses many fine hotels. The Palmer
House at which I obtained excellent accommodation,
though not the largest, contains 650 bedrooms, many
with bathroom attached. The principal dining-room
with its grand columns, and frescoes, is very beautiful ;
and the drawing-rooms are splendidly furnished. Other
large hotels are the Grand Pacific, the Tremont House,
the Sherman House, and a host of others of secondary
importance.
Whilst on the subject, I may mention, that American
hotels offer great facilities to guests ; by having attached,
CHICAGO. 75
post and telegraph offices, a bureau where may be
obtained railway and theatre tickets, barber's shop, &c.
The prevailing rates are from three to five dollars per
diem, according to the accommodation required. There
is no sociable table d' hote ; guests order from the bill of
fare what they require, and it is brought up in portions,
all at the same time, so that most of the dishes become
cold, before they are partaken of. This arrangement
seems to be, in consequence of a want of patience, on
the part of Americans, to sit out a table d' hote dinner;,
for they invariably appear to swallow down, as quickly
as they can, the numerous dishes they order ; and then
to hurry off at once to their avocations.
Communication with all parts of the city, is obtained
by means of a most perfect system of tram-cars, the fare
being only six cents the course.
There are several fine theatres ; McVickers' is one of
the best in the country ; the New Chicago is also a nice
house, but the others are mediocre.
I left Chicago for Detroit early in the morning, and
arrived there the evening of the same day.
CHAPTER VI.
DETROIT THE NIAGARA FALLS.
THE City of Detroit Campus Martins Commerce Vicinity
Journey to Clifton Position and Description of the Falls
Bridge over the Rapids Under the Falls Bath Island Goat
Island Lunar Island " Three Sisters" Cave of the Winds
Suspension Bridge Whirlpool Rapids Whirlpool Lewiston.
DETROIT is a clean and pretty town, containing many fine
villa residences ; it is situated on the Detroit River a
noble stream, twenty miles long, connecting Erie Lake
with Lake St. Clair ; and forming here, the best harbour
on the whole chain of lakes.
Detroit is the principal city of Michigan, and contains
some 100,000 inhabitants; the river front for miles is
lined with warehouses, dry-docks, shipbuilding yards,
founderies, and grain-elevators ; and the city is laid out
on the usual American rectangular plan.
The streets are broad ; those containing the business
premises vary from 50 to 100 feet in width ; the avenues
of private mansions from 100 to 200 feet. They are
generally planted, with a double row of trees on both
sides, and these beech, chestnut, oak, elm, and maple
trees, all covered with foliage, give a pretty countrified
appearance to the city, and form a most agreeable shade.
The Campus Martius, a fine open space or square, is the
DETROIT. 77
principal feature in the arrangement of the city. Taking
up the whole side of this square stands the City Hall,
a noble stone building in the Italian style ; consisting of
three stories, above the basement, and surmounted by a
Mansard roof. In the middle of the square is the
Soldier's Monument ; erected in memory of the Michigan
soldiers who fell in the civil war. On the north side of
the Campus Martius is the Opera House, one of the
largest buildings of the kind, in the country. This square
is crossed by Woodward and Michigan Avenues, and
from it radiate Munroe Avenue and Fort-street. These
avenues, for miles, are lined on both sides with detached,
and semi-detached houses, each standing in its own
garden.
In the centre of the city is a semicircular park, called
the Grand Circus, which is divided in two by Woodward
Avenue, each part containing a fine fountain.
The principal buildings are the Custom House, and
Post Office, both under the same roof, and the Board of
Trade. The Great Wheat Elevator of the Michigan
Central Railway Company is a large building, from the
cupola of which a grand view is obtained of the city,
river, and Lakes St. Clair and Erie.
The manufactures of the city are rather extensive,
comprising ironworks, machine-shops for the construction
of railway rolling-stock ; flour mills, breweries, and
extensive tobacco and cigar factories ; the shipping
78 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
interests are also large. Pork and fish-packing are carried
on very extensively.
In the river #re the pretty Belle Isle, Grove Isle, and
Put In Islands. The former is a pleasant resort for pic
nic parties : on Grove Isle are many beautiful summer
residences, and Put In Islands are largely visited by
excursionists.
On leaving Detroit, the train ran on to a large steam-
ferry, and it was so conveyed over to the Canadian side
of the river ; whence the route lay through a fine agricul
tural country, with some charming bits of scenery, in the
Province of Ontario.
We passed several flourishing little towns.; the rising
city of London being amongst the number, and finally
.arrived at our destination, Clifton, a village on the
-Canadian side of the celebrated Niagara Falls.
What can I say of this stupendous work of Nature,
that has not been said before? how describe the awe
.and feeling of insignificance, that overcome one, at the
first sight of this " Thunder of Waters ? " It is futile to
.attempt to give an idea, of the awful grandeur of the
various scenes about the great cataract; and no pen
could accomplish an adequate description of them.
So much has been written about the Falls of Niagara,
'that their general features are now well known to most
readers ; still a few words about them may not be out of
place.
FALLS OF NIAGARA. 79
The first European who saw Niagara was a French
missionary, Father Hennipen, in 1678, nearly two
centuries ago ; and since that time, it has been visited
by millions of people, who have all in turn gazed with
feelings of awe, on this tumultuous rush of waters.
Niagara is an old Iroquois word signifying Thunder of
Waters, and a more expressive one could not have been
found ; it being in very truth a thunder of waters, the
noise of which, is heard at a distance of many miles,
sounding like the moaning of the sea.
All the great lakes of America, viz., Superior, Huron,
Michigan, and Erie, pour their waters into Lake Ontario,
through a channel about thirty-six miles in length, called
the Niagara River, which forms part of the boundary
between Canada, and the State of New York. The
famous Falls are about twenty miles below Lake Erie,
and are divided in two by Goat Island, and called
respectively the American, and Canadian, or Horseshoe
Falls. The former is 900 feet wide and 164 feet high ;
the latter 2,000 feet wide, and 158 feet high. Over
these precipices, the irresistible water rushes, at the rate
of one hundred millions of tons per hour; and this
immense volume of water is computed to wear away the
rock, by friction, at the rate of a foot a year ; and the
Falls are said to have gradually receded from Queens-
town, seven miles below, to their present position. The
river varies in width, from half a mile to three miles ; at
8o TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
the Falls it is three-quarters of a mile wide, and is
studded above, with numerous islands. The total
descent from Erie to Ontario is 334 feet, which, dis
tributed equally over the length of the river, would be a
fall of ten feet in the mile, or hardly sufficient to form
a rapid.
Just above the Falls, a magnificent cast-iron bridge has
been built across the river ; and standing upon it, one
forms some idea of the grandeur of the scene ; in seeing
the river, as it whirls along to its impending fate in a
rushing torrent ; seeming as if it would carry the bridge,
with its puny passengers, over the frightful precipice.
This is called the Rapid above the Falls ; the descent
being sixty feet in the mile. In its course the river
foams, and hurls up its billows, as in a very ecstacy of
madness ; and forms a fine contrast, to the grand and
placid flow of the waters over the Falls.
One of the best views of the great Cataract is obtained
from Prospect Park, on the American side, which
consists of some eight acres of wooded land, skirting
the river bank, for some distance above, and below the
American Fall. It is well laid out in lawn, and walks ;
and the bank in the immediate vicinity of the Fall has
been built up with solid masonry, a low wall protecting
the brink ; so that visitors can look down, in perfect
safety, into the dizzy depths of the precipice on the verge
of which they stand. This stone parapet is projected to
NIAGARA. 8 1
the very edge of the Fall, and one can stand just by the
rush of the waters, and take in at one view, the whole
magnificent arc of the Niagara.
The vivid hues of the waters, as they glide onward,
and bend in an unbroken sheet over the brink, contrast
with the whiteness of the wreathing mists, into which
they plunge. The ceaseless, and stupendous movement
of the descending deluge ; the huge rising clouds of
spray ; the deafening roar, that arises from the boiling
depths ; all combine to bewilder and confound one.
Only after long gazing is the mind able to realize, that it
confronts a picture, the beauty and sublimity of which,
can never be wholly grasped.
A better conception of the majesty of the great Cataract
can be formed, by viewing it from the huge rock-masses,
that lie in chaotic confusion about the foot of the
American Fall. The mountain of descending waters
impends almost directly above the spectator ; the boiling
abyss is close at his feet. A breath of air will suddenly
turn upon him a blinding shower of spray, through which,
if the sun be shining, he may catch a view of the iris ;
not as elsewhere, a prismatic arc only, but an almost
perfect circle of dazzling radiance.
To obtain the best idea, however, of the astounding
magnitude of Niagara, and to take in its immensity ; it
is necessary for a visitor to put on an oilskin dress,
obtained on payment of a small fee, and, accompanied
7
82 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
by a guide, to go under the Fall. After recovering the
fatigue of the descent, and getting the spray out of his
eyes ; he will feel amply repaid by the scene that
bursts upon his astonished gaze. I availed myself of
this convenience, and stood behind the watery curtain,
twenty feet thick in the centre, under the great Horse
shoe Fall ; with the water falling over the ledge, right in
front of me, and descending to the river in one gigantic
bound. The view here is awfully grand. As we gaze
-upwards at the frowning cliff, that seems tottering to its
fall, and pass under the thick curtain of water, so near,
that it seems as if we could touch it ; and hear the
hissing spray ; and are stunned by the deafening roar,
that issues from the misty vortex at our feet ; an inde
scribable feeling of awe steals over us, and we feel like
very insects, before this manifestation of one of Nature's
greatest terrestrial wonders. Behind our narrow foot
path, the precipice of the Horseshoe Fall rises perpen
dicularly to a height of ninety feet ; at our feet, the cliff
descends about seventy feet, into a turmoil of foam ; whilst
in front of us is the liquid curtain, which, ever passing
onward, never unveils this wildest of Nature's caverns.
Goat Island is half a mile long, by a quarter broad ;
it contains about seventy acres, and is very heavily
wooded. It is situated on the very verge of the
Falls, and appears as if it would be hurled into the
depths below, by the force of the water. From Goat
NIAGARA. $3
Island, some of the best views are obtained, and it is
connected by bridges with Bath and Lunar Islands.
Even this glorious scenery is not sacred from the
desecrating hand of utilitarianism ; for on Bath Island a
large paper mill has been erected ; thus utilizing the
enormous water-power, for industrial purposes.
From Lunar Island, the best view is obtained of the
beautiful lunar bow, which is only visible for a short time
in the month, when the moon is full, and high in the
heavens. The solar bow is always seen, when the sun
shines on the Falls. It is said that Lunar Island trem
bles, and this does not seem at all improbable, although
I did not observe it.
Three lovely little islands, called the Three Sisters,
lie on the American side, in close proximity to Goat
Island; and being now all connected by bridges, are
easily accessible, and from them is obtained, the grandest
view of the rapids.
The Cave of the Winds is another and perhaps one
of the most remarkable sights here ; it has been formed
by the action of the water, wearing away the softer strata
of the rock, and thus making a cavity 100 feet wide, 130
feet high, and 30 feet deep. Along the floor of this
cave, the spray is dashed with considerable force, striking
the walls and curling upwards along the roof; thus
causing the turmoil, which has procured for it, its name.
When the sun shines, a beautiful rainbow, quite circular
84 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
in form, quivers amid the driving spray. It is necessary
to wear the oilskin dress, when visiting this cave ; and
all conversation is impossible, the mighty Fall claiming its
right of alone being heard.
The Suspension Bridge, which spans the river in view
of the Falls, is a splendid structure 1,240 feet long; it
will support a weight of 3,000 tons, and itself weighs only
250 tons, or only one-twelfth of its sustaining power.
Three thousand people might be distributed over its
length, without in any way affecting its supporting
capacity. In the tower on the Canadian side, is an
elevator, which takes visitors to the top ; whence a fine
view of the surrounding country is obtained.
The Whirlpool Rapids, about two miles below the
Falls, are interesting ; for here the waters rush along at
the rate of twenty-seven miles an hour, tossing up breakers
to the height of thirty feet. According to Sir Charles
Lyell, fifteen hundred million cubic feet of water rush
through this gorge every minute. To see these rapids
from the best point of view, it is necessary to descend to
the water's edge, by means of a hydraulic lift constructed
for the purpose, on the American side of the river.
About three miles below the Falls, the river takes an
abrupt turn, and the water dashes with great violence
against the cliffs on the Canadian side ; forming a large
whirlpool, in which, the waters seem to seethe, and boil,
as though in a caldron.
NIAGARA. 85
The Clifton House is a comfortable hotel, in the imme
diate vicinity of the ground, upon which was fought the
Battle of Lundy's Lane.
After having revelled in these glorious scenes, and
stamped them indelibly in my mind, never to be effaced
until such time as all will be oblivion ; but to be recalled
by memory in years to come, to prove a fruitful source
of pleasurable reminiscence ; I reluctantly tore myself
away from this place, so rich in Nature's grand sights.
The train soon conveyed me to Lewiston, a little town
situated at the junction of the Niagara River and Lake
Ontario ; formerly of some importance, but of late much
injured by the opening of the Erie and Welland Canal.
At Lewiston, I embarked on a steamer proceeding to
Toronto, where I arrived in a couple of hours' time, after
a pleasant trip across Lake Ontario.
CHAPTER VII.
TORONTO AND TRIP DOWN THE ST. LAWRENCE.
DESCRIPTION of Toronto University Queen's Park Public
Buildings Sunday Observance Difference between the People
of Canada and the United States Kingston Emperor of
Brazil The Thousand Islands Timber Rafts Rapids of Long
Sault Lake St. Francis Cedar Rapids La Chine Canals.
TORONTO is, after Montreal, the largest city of Canada ;
it has a population of 60,000 ; and is situated on a beau
tiful bay, the entrance to which is narrow, and protected
by a long spit of land, called Gibraltar Point. The city
has a very English appearance, and the streets, though
not wide, are generally well paved. The principal are
King and Yonge streets, which contain all the best
retail establishments. Front street, containing large
blocks of warehouses, is also a fine thoroughfare.
The University of Toronto is a grand edifice, in the
pure Norman style of architecture ; the buildings forming
three sides of a quadrangle. It is a noble institution, and
one of which Canadians may justly be proud ; it pos
sesses a library of 20,000 volumes, and a fine museum
of natural history. Adjoining the University is the
Queen's Park, comprising fifty acres of well laid out
ground ; approached by long avenues of chestnut,
TORONTO. 87
beech, elm, and oak trees. In the park is a fine monu
ment, surmounted by a large figure of Britannia ; erected
to the memory of those Canadians, who fell in repelling
the Fenian invasion of 1866.
The Post Office, built in the Ionic style, is a fine
building ; the City Hall is plain and unpretentious ; the
Custom House and Court House are handsome struc
tures. Osgoode Hall is a very imposing, and extensive
building of the Ionic Order ; it contains the Provincial
Courts, and has a fine law library. Amongst other
buildings of a public character may be enumerated
St. Lawrence Hall, the Masonic Hall, and the Ex
change.
Toronto is to Canada, what Edinburgh is to Scotland,
the seat of its higher educational system ; and contains
many fine public schools, and colleges. Knox College,
a Presbyterian institution, is one of the principal, and
most successful. Trinity College is a spacious building,
with numerous turrets and quaint gables ; and is situated
in the midst of extensive grounds. The Normal School,
for the training of teachers, the Model Schools, and the
Educational Museum are plain buildings ; but standing
together, as they do, in a large park, they have a very
picturesque appearance.
The Provincial Lunatic Asylum, and the General
Hospital are well-conducted institutions ; in the latter a
large number of patients are annually cured. Toronto
88 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
contains more public institutions than any city in the
United States, double, or even treble its size ; and the
same may be said equally of Montreal, and Quebec.
The churches are very fine, notably the Episcopal
and Roman Catholic Cathedrals ; both being good
specimens of ecclesiastical architecture.
Sunday is kept in a very puritanical manner ; the hotel
bars being closed from seven o'clock on Saturday evening
until six o'clock on Monday morning ; and no vehicles
are to be seen in the streets.
I was much struck with the difference in manners,
and appearance, between the people of the Dominion,
and those of the United States. Though descending
from the same stock, and though only separated by a
river, the difference is very perceptible, and the longer I
stayed in Canada, the more it impressed me. People
there seem quieter, less addicted to extravagance in
language, and dress ; more polite and self-denying ;
slower-going certainly, but more reliable.
All commodities are cheaper in Canada, than in the
States ; in consequence of the baneful effects of the
pernicious protective system, into which the latter
drifted ; the fruits of which, are now being reaped in the
high price of all articles entering into general con
sumption ; in the great decrease of the mercantile
marine ; and in the general stagnation of trade, at present
existing.
TORONTO. 89
Proceeding on board the steamer Spartan, we had a
pleasant trip on Lake Ontario, which large inland sea,
240 miles in length, we traversed all night ; and arrived
next morning at six o'clock, at Kingston, and entered
upon the glorious scenery of the St. Lawrence.
At Kingston, the Emperor and Empress of Brazil,
with their suite, came on board, travelling incognito. On
leaving my cabin, early in the morning, I came upon an
old gentleman, dressed in a rather seedy suit of clothes,
and wearing a somewhat dilapidated slouched hat ; who
at once entered into conversation, by asking me, in
broken English, some question about the locality.
When he heard that I came from Australia, he became
most eager in his inquiries about its prospects, resources,
and rate of progress. This gentleman, I afterwards
learned, was the Emperor, who continued the whole day
to mix unreservedly with the passengers ; on occasions,
elbowing his way through the crowd in a very bourgeois
manner. Royalty, 1 conclude, on close inspection, is
not very different to ordinary humanity.
After leaving Kingston we found ourselves entering
amidst that wonderful and beautiful collection of islands,
known as the " Thousand Islands," in the lake of that
name. These lovely islands commence a little beyond
Kingston, and extend to Brockville, a distance of nearly
fifty miles, in one continuation of lovely scenery ; forming
the most numerous collection of river islands in the world.
QO TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
They consist of about eighteen hundred isles, and
islets, of every conceivable form and size ; some being
mere bits of rock; others several acres in extent, thickly
wooded, and covered with beautiful vegetation. At
times our steamer passed so close to these islands, that a
pebble might have been thrown on shore ; whilst
looking ahead, it appeared as though further progress
were barred; until on rounding the next point,
amid winding passages, the way would gradually open
before us.
Again the river would seem to come to an abrupt
termination, but on approaching the bank ; a channel
would suddenly appear, and we would be whirled into a
magnificent lake, bounded apparently by an immense
green bank, which would, on our approach, be moved
as in a kaleidoscope, and a hundred small islets, appear
in its place.
A feature of the St. Lawrence navigation, are the large
rafts of timber met on the river, which are floated down
to Montreal, and Quebec. They are very large and
require many men to navigate them, and from the
number of huts erected on them, they have all the
appearance of floating villages.
The first place of any consequence we came to was
Clayton, a pretty little town, on the American side of
the river. Alexander Bay, the next place passed, is
surrounded by a massive pile of rocks, and its situation
THE ST. LAWRENCE. 91
is romantic, and picturesque, in the extreme. We now
left the Lake of the Thousand Islands, and re-entering
the St. Lawrence, soon arrived at Brockville, a thriving
Canadian town of about 7,000 inhabitants. Opposite to
it, is the American town of Ogdensburg, a busy place,
with a population of some 9,000 souls. The towns
on the American side appear to have a greater appear
ance of prosperity, than their rivals on the Canadian
bank.
After passing Prescott, which has a decayed appear
ance ; the increased rapidity of the current, indicated
that we were approaching the first of that series of
remarkable, and celebrated Rapids of the St. Lawrence;
and preparations were made to shoot it. A tiller was
attached to the rudder, and manned ; whilst the Indian
pilot took his station at the wheel, on the upper deck.
The Rapid of Long Sault, so called from its great
length, rushes along at the rate of twenty miles an hour.
When our steamer arrived within its influence, steam was
shut off, and we were carried onwards by the force of the
stream alone ; the water presenting all the appearance of
an angry sea. The boat strained, and laboured ; its
motion quite different to the ordinary pitching and
tossing causing this going down hill by water, to prove
a very novel sensation, and one not unalloyed with
fear. Great precision is requisite, in steering a vessel
over these rapids, her head having to be kept straight
92 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
with the course of the stream ; for if she diverge in the
least, she " broaches to," and is instantly capsized.
Shortly after leaving the Rapid of Long Sault, the
course of the river is entirely through British Territory.
We passed two small places known respectively as
Dickinson's Landing, and St. Regis ; and entered an
expansion of the St. Lawrence called Lake St. Francis,
which is forty miles long, and contains a number of
islands. Leaving this lake behind us, we called in at a
small place, called Coteau du Lac, or St. Ignace ;
remarkable for its quaint old buildings, which give it all
the appearance of an old Norman village.
We now approached the Cedar Rapids, and the
passage through them was particularly exciting ; a
peculiar motion being felt, as the steamer glided from
one ledge to another, as though she were bumping on
the rocks, and settling down.
In close proximity were the Cascade Rapids, after
shooting which, we entered another expansion of the
river, called Lake St. Louis, and finally arrived off the
village of La Chine, adjacent to the Rapids of that name,
the most celebrated of the series. The name was given
to it by the early settlers who thought they had discovered
the route to China.
Around all these rapids large canals have been
constructed, which prevent the upward navigation of the
river from being impeded. The length of these canals
THE RAPIDS. 93,
altogether is forty-one miles, with twenty- seven locks,
and the cost of construction was enormous ; they reflect
great credit on the energy of the people.
After safely passing the La Chine Rapids, we rapidly
approached Montreal, and as we passed under the great
Victoria Bridge, the view of the city, with the sun setting
behind Mount Royal, was magnificent.
CHAPTER VIII.
MONTREAL, QUEBEC, AND OTTAWA.
POSITION of Montreal Victoria Bridge -Mont Real Description
of the City Commerce Appearance of Quebec Defences
General Features of the City Great Fire Plains of Abraham
Falls of the Montmorency Fall of the Chaudiere Return
to Montreal Position of Ottawa Houses of Parliament
Vicinity Slow Progress of Canada Want of Energy in
Canadians Notes on Emigration.
MONTREAL, the commercial metropolis of Canada, is a
nice clean city of 110,000 inhabitants, containing fine
blocks of buildings ; but especially notable, for the
number, and beauty of its churches. It is situated on
the Island of Montreal, which is thirty miles long, and
ten broad, and is formed by the junction of the Ottawa,
with the St. Lawrence. It is connected with the main
land, by the splendid Victoria Bridge, called by Mon-
trealers " the eighth wonder of the world." This
celebrated bridge is a mile and a half long, or with its
approaches, nearly two miles ; is supported upon twenty-
four piers, and two abutments of solid masonry ; the
span between the centre piers being thirty-three feet.
The iron tube, through which the lines are laid, is
twenty-two feet high, and sixteen feet wide. This bridge
was erected by Robert Stephenson, and though rather
MONTREAL. 95
an eyesore, obstructing as it does, the view of the noble
river ; is the only means of traffic with the mainland,
when the river being frozen over, navigation is impeded.
The city is laid out very much like an old French town,
but has of late been much improved; the streets are
gradually being widened ; and the city with its fine
blocks of buildings, and its numerous public edifices,
looks substantial, and shows the evidences of great
accumulated wealth.
The Quays are very fine ; built entirely of solid lime
stone, and extending for several miles, undisfigured by
unsightly warehouses, and stores, as is unfortunately so
often the case.
At a short distance from the city is the Mont Real,
which gives to the city its name of Montreal, now used in
place of the ancient Indian one Hochelaga. From the
summit of this beautiful eminence, a magnificent panorama
is presented of the city, with its noble quays, and glitter
ing spires. From it can also be seen, the great St.
Lawrence, as it winds its way, for miles, through a gently
undulating plain, dotted with pretty little villages. This
" mountain," as it is locally called, is a general recreation
ground for the people of Montreal ; and round the base,
and winding around the hill, are beautiful drives.
St. James, and Notre Dame streets, are the principal
promenades, and contain the best retail establishments.
St. Paul street, fronting the quays, and extending their
96 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
entire length, is the principal commercial thoroughfare ;
whilst other smaller streets, branching off these main
arteries, contain large blocks of warehouses. The
principal residences are in the suburbs, extending to
the foot of the mountain.
Foremost amongst the public buildings is the Bonse-
cours Market, an imposing stone edifice, surmounted by
a large dome, which forms a very prominent landmark ; in
the upper story is a large hall capable of accommodating
four thousand people. The Custom House is a large
building with a fine tower ; the Post Office in St. James
street is simple in style, but very handsome ; the Court
House is also a fine edifice of the Ionic order, and
contains a law library of six thousand volumes. The
Banking Corporations have very imposing edifices, notably
the Bank of Montreal and the Merchants' Bank. Other
prominent buildings are the City Bank, the Bank of
Ontario, the Young Men's Christian Association, the
Mechanics' Institute, and the Merchants' Exchange ;
these are all ornaments to the city, and would do credit
to London, or New York.
The principal educational institution is M'Gill College,
beautifully situated at the foot of the Mount, and
possessing a fine museum. The Catholics, the dominant
denomination here, possess some grand edifices for
educational and other purposes. The Seminary of St.
Sulpice is a massive pile of stone buildings, of enormous
MONTREAL. 97-
size ; without any claim to architectural beauty, but
more resembling an immense barracks. The Grey
Nunnery is another vast building, designed in form of a
cross. The Black Nunnery, and the Convent of the
Holy Name of Mary, are both very extensive. The
Hotel Dieu, for the cure of the sick, is large and
imposing, and is, together with St. Patrick's Hospital,,
under the charge of the Sisters of St. Joseph.
To enumerate the churches would require a volume ;.
they are all fine, and many of them are very elaborate
structures ; but in going through the city a stranger is
puzzled to imagine where all the funds came from, to erect
all these costly edifices. Certainly a very large portion of
the property in, and around Montreal, is owned by the
Catholic priesthood. The Romanist Cathedral of Notre
Dame, in the Place d'Armes, off St. James-street, is the
largest place of worship on the continent ; seating from ten
to twelve thousand people. It is built of stone, in the Gothic
style, and has six towers, the two front ones being each 213
feet high. Its interior decorations are tawdry, and in
very bad taste ; it possesses however, a fine peal of bells,
the largest of which, the Gros Bourdon, is said to weigh
thirteen tons. Even this large structure will be exceeded
in size, by the new cathedral in course of erection, on
the plan of St. Peter's in Rome. The Anglican
Cathedral, though small, is a perfect specimen of
English-Gothic architecture. Amongst the most note-
8
^8 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
worthy of the Episcopal Churches are Christ Church
Cathedral, Trinity, St. George's, St. Thomas', and St.
Stephen's. The principal Catholic Churches are Bishop's
Church, St. Patrick's, which seats five thousand people,
.and has very fine stained glass windows ; the Church of
Gesu, which has the finest interior in the city ; Recollect,
Bonsecours, and St. Mary's. The Nunneries and Semi
naries have also chapels attached. The leading Presby
terian place of worship is St. Andrew's. The Unitarians
possess a fine building called the Church of the Messiah.
In addition to the above is a legion of other Churches,
of all denominations.
Though Montreal is 600 miles from the sea, its
commerce is large; owing to its advantageous position
at the head of navigation of the St. Lawrence, and of the
: great chain of improved inland water, which extends
from the Lachine Canal, to Lake Superior. It is the
principal shipping port of the dominion ; its imports in
1873 amounted to nine millions sterling, and its exports
to five. In addition to this large shipping trade, Mon
treal is the seat of numerous industries; the principal
being the manufacture of agricultural implements, axes,
saws and tools, steam engines, boots and shoes, paper
and furniture, etc.
I left Montreal for Quebec, by the steamer City of
Montreal, in the evening ; and arrived at the latter city
early the next morning. These river steamers are most
QUEBEC. 99
commodious, and beautifully fitted up ; and form, in the
warm weather, a far more agreeable mode of travelling,
than the dusty railway cars.
The first appearance of Quebec from the river is very
grand : here the banks rise precipitously, and are covered
with fine trees, nestling amongst which are numerous
private residences. The river widens considerably, and
is commanded by the guns of the citadel, perched high
up on the height ; from which the ramparts extend round
the city, rendering it so strong a fortress, that it has been
-called the " Gibraltar of America." Since the regular
troops who garrisoned it were recalled, and the charge of
the fortress assumed by the Canadian Government ; the
ramparts are falling into decay, and the guns rusting.
The British Government commenced the building of three
powerful forts on Point Levi, opposite to Quebec, on the
other side of the river ; but left them in an incomplete
state, and nothing has been done by the Canadian Govern
ment to finish them. It would consequently not be a
difficult matter, for an enterprising enemy, to carry Quebec,
as it stands, by a coup de main; and this fortress,
formerly considered impregnable, in the hands of an
enemy commanding the navigation of the St. Lawrence,
would virtually place Canada at his feet.
It seems a pity, that the Canadian Government is so
apathetic in this respect ; and the day may come, when
it will bitterly rue it. The ramparts enclose a circuit
100 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
of three miles, within which is the city proper, which with
its two suburbs of St. Louis, and St. Johns, is called the
Upper Town. The Lower Town is built round the base
of the promontory. The city is situated at the junction
of the rivers St. Charles and St. Lawrence ; and has a
population estimated at 60,000 ; it is the oldest town in
Canada, and ranks in importance after Montreal. The
streets of Quebec are very narrow, and steep ; especially
those connecting the Upper, with the Lower Town. A
large portion of the Upper Town is taken up by the
buildings of the great religious corporations of the
dominant denomination; such as the Seminary, Laval
University, the Ursulines, the Hotel Dieu, and the ancient
Jesuit College ; which latter has more recently been used
as a barracks.
Over the remaining portion of Upper Town, not taken
up by the fortifications, are crowded the quaint, mediaeval
streets, and houses ; the latter built generally of stone,
two storeys high, and roofed with a shining tin, which
gives the city, when the sun shines on it, a very glittering
appearance. The Lower Town is the oldest, and most
important ; here are clustered at the foot of the promon
tory, under the guns of the grand battery, 200 feet above,
the principal wharves, ferry-landings, commercial houses,
and banks.
The principal shipbuilding yards, a large industry here,
are situated on the banks of the St. Charles ; whilst the
QUEBEC. 101
coves of the St. Lawrence are covered for miles, with
vast rafts of timber ; the export of which, constitutes the
chief trade of Quebec. Durham Terrace is an esplanade
in Upper Town, on the very brink of the precipice ; it is
the great promenade of the inhabitants, and from it, the
view is magnificent.
Just before I arrived, a large and disastrous fire had
taken place in Montcalm Ward, in which four hundred
houses were destroyed ; the appearance of the burnt
district was very saddening.
On the opposite side of the St. Lawrence, are situated
-the populous towns of South Quebec, New Liverpool,
.and Point Levi.
The public buildings of Quebec are very unpretentious;
the churches alone having any claim to architectural
beauty. The Marine Hospital, built after the style of
the Temple of the Muses, on the banks of the Ilissus,
is one of the few public buildings worthy of notice ; as
is also the Laval University, an offshoot of the Catholic
seminary, an imposing building, or series of buildings j in
connection with which are a fine laboratory, geological,
mineralogical, and botanical collections, a museum of
.zoology, and a library of some fifty thousand books.
The Market Place in the Upper Town, presents a
very interesting appearance, when the peasants, or as
they are called, "habitans," bring in their produce for
.sale.
102 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
The drives about Quebec are very beautiful ; all along
the St. Louis and St. Foy roads, are fine residences and
gardens.
The Plains of Abraham, memorable for the great
victory of General Wolfe, which gave Britain an
American Empire ; and in the course of which both
General Wolfe, the British, and General Montcalm, the
French Commander fell ; are being gradually encroached
upon, by the suburbs of St. Louis and St. John ; but
enough still remains, to mark the battle field. A modest
column has been here erected, by the British army, to
the memory of Wolfe, on the spot where he fell ; and an
obelisk stands in the town, in honour of Wolfe and
Montcalm jointly.
Near Quebec, are the celebrated Falls of Montmorency r
which are wondrously beautiful. The River Montmorency
here falls over a ledge of rock 250 feet high, in a volume
of snow-white foam, fifty feet wide. The heights on
either side are well wooded ; and with Quebec, and the
St. Lawrence in sight, form a scene of most surpassing
beauty. Near the Falls, are the Natural Steps, a series
of ledges, cut in the rock, by the action of the water ;.
each step being about a foot high, and as regular as if
wrought by human hands.
Before leaving Quebec, I crossed over to Point Levi >
and a pleasant drive brought me to another natural
wonder, the Fall of the Chaudiere. Over a mass of
OTTAWA. 105,
rock, 150 feet high, the water falls in a sheet 350 feet
wide ; presenting all the appearance of boiling water,
whence its name Chaudiere or Caldron.
Returning to Montreal by the steamer City of Qitebec,
in the day time, I had an opportunity of seeing the
scenery of the St. Lawrence, on this portion of its long
course. For some distance from Quebec, the high, well-
wooded banks give the river a very picturesque appear
ance ; but approaching Montreal, the country becomes
flat, and uninteresting.
I now took the steamer up the River Ottawa, to visit
the city of that name, the political metropolis of the
Dominion. This stream flows through thickly-wooded
country, with extensive saw-mills on the banks, for the
conversion of pine logs into planks, etc.
Ottawa is situated on the river of that name, at its
junction with the Rideau ; the city being on a hill,
between the two rivers, and divided into the Upper and
Lower Town, by the Rideau Canal. It has a population
of 25,000 ; is the centre of the lumber trade of the
Ottawa and its tributaries ; and otherwise possesses some
extensive flour-mills, and manufactories of agricultural
implements, mill machinery, &c. Facing it, on the oppo
site side of the river, are the suburbs of Hull, and New
Edinburgh, connected with the city by several bridges.
The great feature, however, of Ottawa, is that imposing
pile, or rather piles of building, forming as they do
IO4 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
three sides of a quadrangle, occupied as the Parliament
Houses and Government Offices. These buildings are
situated on a hill, descending abruptly to the river ; are
built in the Italian Gothic style ; and, with their irregular
towers, and pinnacles glittering in the sun, form as
imposing a structure, as is to be seen in America. The
south side of the quadrangle is formed by the Houses of
Parliament ; whilst the east and west sides, are taken
up by the Departmental Offices. The two wings
containing the latter, are quite detached from the front,
forming the Parliament Houses ; and there are thus three
distinct blocks of building, which together form a pile, of
which Canadians may justly be proud ; and a fit abode,
for the Legislature of the great colony.
The interior of the Houses of Parliament is very fine ;
the Chambers for the two branches of the Legislature have
beautiful stained glass windows, but are still very light.
The Chamber of the Commons, to my mind, is far
handsomer than its prototype at Westminster ; but like
it, its acoustic properties are bad. Facing the Speaker's
chair is a fine statue of Her Majesty, and busts of the
Prince and Princess of Wales ; and the corridors contain
portraits of former Speakers. The Parliament Library
is a handsome structure, containing forty thousand
volumes.
The most important edifice in the city, after the
Government buildings, is the Catholic Cathedral of
OTTAWA. 105
Notre Dame. This is a large stone building, with two
spires covered with shining tin, poor in style, but
having a very picturesque appearance, when seen from a
distance.
The scenery in the vicinity is very beautiful ; consisting
of well-timbered country, watered by several rivers,
interspersed with numerous waterfalls. The principal of
these are the Falls of the Chaudiere, and the Rideau ;
the former being especially beautiful.
A curious feature of Ottawa, is the turpentiney odour
of the atmosphere ; caused by the number of saw-mills.
The river from the same cause is covered with a layer of
saw-dust.
On my return to Montreal, I took the train, across the
Victoria Bridge, for Plattsburg, a small town on Lake
Champlain, in the State of New York.
Before leaving Canadian territory, I may mention, that
I was disappointed with the slow growth of the country ;
which is attributable in a great measure doubtless, to the
severity of the winters, during which time, the country is
ice-bound ; Halifax being the only port on the Atlantic
seaboard, open all the year round. Still Canada, with
its fine soil; its comparatively close proximity to the Euro
pean markets, and consequent immigration advantages;
and with its great rivers and lakes, ought to be very much
in advance of Australia a country of so very much
more recent colonization. This is, however, by no means
106 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
the case ; Canada being behind Australia in every
respect, except farming and manufacturing. To my
mind, a comparison between the people of the United
States, and Canada ; or between Australians, and Cana
dians j is greatly to the prejudice of the latter. There
seems to be a want of energy, in the Canadians, which is
attributed mainly to the large French element. With
their fine water power, cheap carriage, and moderate cost
of labour, manufactures should be more numerous ; but
the fact is, the excessive number of wealthy religious
corporations absorbs a great portion of the available
capital of the country ; which would otherwise be em
ployed, in developing its vast, and as yet barely touched,
sources of national wealth.
Canada has magnificent resources in its immense tracts
of fertile country, boundless forests, and great mineral
wealth ; what is wanted, is population to develop them.
The new Province of Manitoba is alone, supposed to be
able to support a population of fifty millions ; and yet
comparatively little is done to tap the continuous flow of
emigration to the States. It cannot be too often iterated,
that the want of Canada is the same as that of Australia,
viz., small capitalists, skilled mechanics, and practical
agriculturists. For such men there is a fine field in those
great Colonies ; and to these, my advice is Emigrate.
With the increasing difficulty experienced, in finding
employment for young men, of the middle class ; and in
NOTES ON EMIGRATION. 1 07
view of the number, that are earning a precarious liveli
hood as clerks in merchants' offices with small prospect
of promotion ; but with all the cares, and heartburnings,,
incidental to the struggle to keep up a respectable appear
ance, on insufficient means ; would it not be better, to-
give them a special training, that would enable them to
make careers for themselves in the colonies ? Repeating
what I have said above ; the classes of men most likely
to do well in the colonies, are skilled agriculturists, and
mechanics, who can at all times earn good wages ; until
they accumulate sufficient capital, to start on their own-
account. Now, the young men who are sent out from
England have, as a rule, received a general education,
that fits them only for town life ; and they are fortunate if
they obtain situations as clerks; as the colonies are
glutted with young men of this class, who without capital,
have little chance of making positions for themselves.
Would it not therefore be desirable, in training young
men for colonial life, to do away with the common idea,
that manual labour is incompatible with the feelings, and
status of a gentleman ? In new countries especially,,
where the line of demarcation between the different
classes of society, is neither so fine drawn, nor so marked ;
labour should be considered ennobling, and a gentleman
by education, be no less a gentleman, because he prefers
to guide the plough, rather than keep a set of books in a.
merchant's office.
IOS TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
Would education unfit a man for the drudgery of
manual labour? Or, would it rather be a means of
giving him, a decided advantage over his less-educated
fellow-workers? I imagine, the majority of thinking
people will incline to the latter belief; and come to the
conclusion, that a good education would be an incentive
to sobriety, and perseverance ; with the assistance of
which, a man would soon push his way in the world ; to
:say nothing of the many modes of rational amusement,
and means of embellishing his life, that education would
open up to him.
If it be granted, that it is desirable to train young men
specially for colonial life; the question then arises, how such
training could best be attained ? And I reply, by the forma
tion of good schools of agriculture and technology. Instead
of sending them to an ordinary school, where they receive
a general education ; let it be made easy for fathers, to
send their sons to schools, where in addition to general
learning, they would be taught a trade ; and then, after
serving for a time on a farm, or in a workshop, where
they would learn practically what had, at school, been
taught theoretically ; they would then become useful
.additions to young countries, where land can be obtained
on easy terms, and the mechanical trades are well remune
rated. With such a general and technical education, and
the help of a little capital, they could, in a few years'
-time, make for themselves very comfortable positions.
NOTES ON EMIGRATION. log-
There is a large class of young able-bodied men, whose
abilities are not of the highest order ; and who cannot
settle down to the drudgery of office routine. For these
especially, a good technical education would be of the
greatest advantage; and their superabundant energy,
which in many cases, unfortunately, leads them into the
dissipation of the large cities, could be rendered useful,
and profitable, to themselves and others, in pastoral and
agricultural pursuits.
I have been induced to make these remarks, from
having seen so many fine young fellows, who have gone
out to the colonies with every wish to work ; but not
having been able to obtain employment as clerks, the only
occupation their education fitted them for; they have
squandered their small means, and eventually found
themselves a burden on their friends.
CHAPTER IX.
GENERAL REMARKS ON CANADA AND THE
COLONIAL QUESTION.
PROVINCES of the Dominion Government Population Imports
and Exports Treatment of Indians Loyalty of the People
Withdrawal of the Troops Ignorance in England on Colonial
Affairs Independence of the Colonies -versus Consolidation of
the Empire Objects of a Customs' Union.
THE Dominion of Canada comprises the various provinces
of Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, British
Columbia, and Manitoba, formerly known as the Red
River Settlement. Newfoundland and Prince Edward's
Island, will doubtless also shortly enter the Confederacy.
Each Province has its local legislature, which generally
consists of two Houses, and a Lieutenant-Governor ;
except in the case of Ontario, where only one Chamber
exists. They also return to the General Parliament,
which meets at Ottawa ; Senators to the Upper, and
Representatives to the Lower House. Senators are
appointed by the Crown, for life, and have the title of
Honourable. Members of the Executive have seats in
either House ; and are dependent upon the support of a
majority. The Governor-General is appointed by the
Crown.
THE DOMINION. Ill
Canada Proper consists of the Provinces of Ontario,
and Quebec, formerly called Upper, and Lower Canada.
The latter is inhabited chiefly by French Canadians, a
steady, industrious, but very conservative race j possessing
none of the go-a-head spirit of British Colonists, and
much influenced by their spiritual heads. When the
Province was ceded to Britain by treaty, in 1763, its
laws and religion were guaranteed. This was very well,
so long as the community continued small ; but now the
anomaly exists of French law prevailing in the Province of
Quebec, which contains the populous Cities of Montreal,
and Quebec ; and English law, in the adjoining Province
of Ontario. This gives rise to endless litigation, and the
laws will no doubt be, in time, assimilated by the Federal
Government.
The population of the Dominion is at present about
4,000,000, it having in spite of the small immigration,
increased five hundred per cent, within the last half century.
The 40,000 French subjects, ceded to Britain by the treaty
1763, have by excess of births, over deaths, and aided
by a small immigration from France, increased since then
to 1,000,000 ; which is scarcely to be wondered at, when
the large families of the "habitans" are taken into
account.
Forty-five per cent, of the whole population is
Catholic ; the Church of England, the Presbyterians,
and the Methodists, together count a similar per-centage ;
112 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
whilst the balance is made up of the smaller denomi
nations.
The exports of Canada amount 10^15,000,000; and
the imports to ^24, 000,000. It is curious, that whilst
57 per cent, of the imports come from Britain, and 34
per cent, from the United States ; the exports are exactly
in the inverse ratio, for the States take 57 per cent., and
Britain 34 per cent, of her products and manufactures.
The Mercantile Marine comprises 7,000 vessels of all
sizes, with an aggregate tonnage of over a million tons,
and an estimated value of seven millions sterling.
The progress of the colonies, now forming the
Dominion, in earlier times more especially, was assisted
in a great measure by their security from attack by the
Indians ; consequent on the system adopted towards
them by the colonists, viz. of making bona fide bargains
with them for their lands ; paying them by annuities,
held in trust for them by the Colonial Governments ;
and leaving them certain " reserves," to be theirs in
perpetuity. This system contrasts favourably, with that
in force in the United States ; and the history of the
Dominion is not tarnished, like that of the States, by
accounts of risings of the Indians, to retaliate upon their
spoilers, for the wrongs inflicted upon them.
The sentiment of loyalty to the Sovereign, and
institutions of the Mother country, as in Australia, is
very general ; and it seems a pity that so little is done
THE COLONIAL QUESTION. 1 15
in England, to show that the feeling is recognized, and
appreciated. On the contrary the tone of the English
press generally, is to show the colonies, that they are
regarded as a source of weakness ; and it is only the
well-known fact, that this opinion is not shared by the
bulk of the British people, that holds the colonists to
their allegiance.
It is not my purpose here, to enter into the question of
whether the colonies are, or are not, a source of weak
ness ; but it is apparent, that so long as fresh fields are
requisite for the surplus population of Britain j it is far
better, that the energy and productive power, thus lost to
that country, should go to build up the remoter por
tions of the Empire, that may in time be able to materially
assist the Mother country, in an emergency ; than that they
should assist in developing the resources of rising young
nations, rendered by coldness, and neglect, inimical to
Britain, and that might in time, come to regard its
downfall, solely in the light of a dangerous competitor
removed out of the way.
It was a mistaken policy of the Home Government to
withdraw the troops from Canada and Australia; but
more especially so, in the case of the former, situated as
it is, in such close proximity to a power whose lust for
new territory is proverbial. Apart from the fact that
these troops served as a visible proof of Britain's
intention to protect her colonies in time of war, and
9
114 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
as a model and standard of precision and regularity,
to the militia and volunteers ; but they were also the
means of diffusing much useful information about the
colonies, and were to colonists a constant reminder of
their connection with the Mother country.
It is a frequent complaint, that much gross ignorance
prevails in Britain on colonial affairs ; and it is unques
tionable, that were more prominence given in schools to
colonial geography, and other means used, to disseminate
information concerning the requirements, resources, and
prospects of the Colonies, a large portion of the flow of
emigration to the United States might be diverted.
There is no living man, who has such reason to be
proud of his birthright as an Englishman. When he
goes to America, and sees that great offshoot of Britain,
the United States, and that rising nation, Canada ; when
he thinks of the great future of Australia, New Zealand,
and the South African colonies; and remembers our
great Indian Empire; he must be dead to every patri
otic feeling, if the knowledge that he belongs to that
wonderful Anglo-Saxon race, that has effected such great
things, does not cause him a sensation of pride. And yet,
there is a section of politicians in England let us hope
it is a small one who openly advocate for the purpose
of taking a penny off the income tax the voluntary
giving up of all this. Is the proud boast of Britons,
that they possess an empire on which the sun never sets,
THE COLONIAL QUESTION. 11$
to be weighed by a pounds, shillings, and pence
standard ? Would it not be better, if those politicians,
who advocate the casting adrift of the colonies, were to
devote their thoughts to a proper consolidation of the
Empire ; by means of which, the resources of every
portion might be united for mutual interests and defence.
Deprive Britain of her colonies, and you reduce her to
the status of Holland ; consolidate, and an Empire
would be formed, in comparison with which, that of
ancient Rome would sink into insignificance.
The time is coming when this question will be brought
home to politicians; and a decision will have to be
arrived at, whether to draw more closely the bonds that
unite the colonies with Britain, or to altogether sever
them. Certainly the time is not yet ripe for an Imperial
Council, to legislate on matters affecting the Empire at
large, as has been of late so often suggested ; but a step
in that direction might well be taken, by the formation
of a Customs' Union between its component members ;
by means of which, their various products and manufac
tures could be mutually exchanged, without any of those
vexatious hindrances that at present exist.
This would be a means of knitting more closely
together, the different parts of the Empire ; and as the
Dominion of Canada, the Australian and South African
colonies, increased in population and wealth, then the
system could be extended, to enable them to have a
Il6 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
voice in matters affecting their general interests and
common weal.
Bearing in mind the rapid, yet steady progress, of the
Colonies ; the time cannot be very far distant, when a
Confederation, with Britain as the centre, will be deemed
advisable ; and it ought to be a source of pride to
Britons, to think, what a power for good such a Con
federation would be : how it would spread over the world
the British Laws, Language, and Institutions ; and being
unaggressive, and devoted to the Arts of Peace ; what a
high destiny it might attain ; and how materially it might
assist in bringing about, that concord between the
Peoples of the World, that should exist.
CHAPTER X.
LAKES GEORGE AND CHAMPLAIN, SARATOGA,
TROY, AND ALBANY.
PLATTSBURG Lake Scenery Fort Ticonderoga Rogers' Slide
Narrows Cald well N eighbourhood Glen's Falls Saratoga
Hotels Springs Life at Saratoga Saratoga Lake City of
Troy Position of Albany Description of the City Green-
bush.
A SHORT journey brought me to Plattsburg, a place of
some importance, on Lake Champlain, in New York
State j where I took the steamer, to proceed down Lakes
Champlain and George ; one of the most beautiful, and
enjoyable trips, in America. Lake Champlain is 120
miles long, being very much larger than Lake George,
and though abounding in glorious views, does not present
such lovely bits of scenery, as the latter. After leaving
Plattsburg, a fine panoramic view presented itself to our
gaze; blending in rare beauty, the wildest mountain
scenery, with placid water-views. The lake expands, as
far as the eye can reach ; and its waters are broken by
countless islands, and headlands. The important town
of Burlington reposes in calm beauty ; and beyond are
seen the Green Mountains, their summits clearly denned
upon the horizon. On the other side, Lion Mountain,
and the numerous peaks of the Adirondacks are visible.
Il8 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
A short distance down the Lake, rises a lofty peak of the
Green Mountains, called the Leon Couchant, which by
a slight stretch of imagination, takes the form of a lion
with head, mane, and paws complete. Here also are
situated four small islands, called the Four Brothers, lying
almost exactly at the four cardinal points. A delightful
trip through these various beautiful scenes brought us to
Fort Ticonderoga, a ruin standing on a high rocky
eminence. This fort was built by the French in 1756,
and was named by them Carillon ; but this has been
supplanted by its present Indian appellation of Ticon
deroga, which signifies " noisy," so called from the Falls
in the vicinity. Though now a ruin, it has been the
scene of many a fierce struggle in former times. In
1758, it was attacked by an English force of 16,000 men,
under Abercrombie, who was however repulsed, with a
loss of 2,000 men ; but in the following year, it was
abandoned by the French, and taken possession of by
the British. Ticonderoga has been held successively by
the French, the British, the French again, the American
Colonists, and was finally reduced by General Burgoyne ;
when it remained in the hands of the British, until the
termination of the revolutionary war, and was then ceded
to the Americans.
The scenery in the vicinity of this old fortress is very
beautiful, and the drive of four miles along the spark
ling stream, that connects Lake Champlain with Lake
LAKE GEORGE. 119
George, is delightful. This turbulent little stream, has
a descent of 230 feet ; in the course of which, there are
two series of lovely cascades, called the Falls of Ticon-
deroga. The romantic beauty of these, is however,
marred by the factories that have been erected along the
banks, near the villages of Alexandria and Ticonderoga.
The scenery however, varies continually ; and openings
in the foliage, reveal vistas of the lake, with the hills
and valleys of Vermont in the background ; whilst the
little stream foams, and tumbles, beside us, presenting at
every turn, new and beautiful combinations, of rock
draped with rich verdure, the colours of which harmonize
beautifully with the dark blue of the lake, glimpses of
which we are continually obtaining.
We here embarked on board the steamer Minehaha,
to proceed down Lake George. This lovely lake, only
thirty-six miles long, is at an elevation of 320 feet above
the sea-level, and is not much wider than a large river. It
unites in its scenery, the soft and gentle, with the grand
and magnificent. It has been appropriately compared
with Loch Katrine, and is in fact the Trossachs on a
larger, and grander scale. The water of this lake is
quite clear and pellucid ; and the bottom is composed of
a fine yellow sand, which is visible at a great depth.
The banks are surrounded by high hills, covered with
verdure ; and the waters are studded with numerous
charming islets. It seems a pity that the native name of
120 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
Horicon, signifying Silvery Waters, has not been retained ;
for it is most appropriate, especially when the moonbeams
are reflected on the rippling waters.
Proceeding on our way down the lake, we soon
passed two bold promontories, standing on either shore,
called respectively St. Anthony's Nose, and Rogers'
Slide. The latter derived its name from a ruse, practised
upon the Indians, by Major Rogers, who was escaping
from them ; by which he persuaded them, that he had
actually slid down the declivity, which is some 500 feet
deep, with a precipitous front of naked rock. It
happened thus : The Major was escaping from the
Indians, on snow shoes, during the winter; and eluded
pursuit, until he reached the brink of this tremendous
cliff. Aware that they would follow his track, he
descended to the top of the smooth rock ; and casting
his knapsack, and haversack of provisions, down upon
the ice of the lake ; slipped off his snow shoes, and,
without moving them, turned himself about, and put
them on his feet again. He then retreated along the
southern brow of the rock, and made his way safely
down a ravine to the lake below ; where he snatched up
his pack, and made his escape, on the ice, to Fort
George. The Indians in the meanwhile coming up to
the spot, saw two tracks, both apparently approaching
the precipice ; and concluded, that two persons had cast
themselves down the rock, rather than fall into their
LAKE GEORGE. 121
hands. Just then, they saw the bold leader of the
Rangers making his way across the ice ; and believing,
that he had slid down the steep face of the rock,
considered him under the special protection of the Great
Spirit, and made no attempt at pursuit.
The next place of interest that we came to was Sabbath
Day Point, so called, because here, General Abercrombie,
while on his way to attack Ticonderoga, landed on the
Sunday, to rest and refresh his army. The scenery here
is most lovely ; excelled only by that we now commenced
to pass through, that portion of the lake called the
Narrows. The hills at this point, extend into the lake,
and contract it considerably ; while their height render
this contraction more impressive. The Black Mountain
rears its bulky form here, to a height of about 2,200
feet ; and around, are the boldest, and most picturesque
parts of the shores of Lake George. The water though
400 feet deep, is so pellucid, that the eye can penetrate
far down into its mysterious depths. The lake is here
studded with numerous beautiful islands ; and in passing
through this lovely scenery, view follows view, like the
moving picture of a panorama ; filling the eye with ever-
changing visions of beauty, and raising expectation to its
utmost pitch, as headland after headland is passed, and
the various lovely scenes are gradually unfolded. The
beauties of the Narrows of Lake George are quite
beyond the power of language to describe.
122 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
For some time we steamed through scenes of ever-
changing grandeur and beauty, past islands and islets,
of all sizes and forms, some of which are of great extent,
level and cultivated ; others rise in rugged cliffs, from
the water, their summits crowned with tufts of vegetation ;
others again are mere dots, rising but a few feet out of
the water; but all are lovely, and interesting, to the
tourist, who has the good fortune to visit Lake George.
We now rapidly approached the head waters of the
lake, and after calling in at numerous small places, all
picturesquely situated ; we were landed at Caldwell, a
remarkably pretty place, situated on the margin of the
lake, at the foot of high hills. I at once proceeded to
the fine Fort William Henry Hotel, from the grand
piazza of which, the view is most exquisite. There are
many fine drives through the beautiful scenery about
Caldwell ; and hither, during the summer months, flock
numbers of the wealthier Americans, many of whom
possess fine summer residences on the shores of the
lake, and in the hills. The whole of the district is
famous for its historical associations ; here on the placid
waters, or along the shore have the pioneers of civilization
and the Indian inhabitants met in deadly strife, con
tending for its possession; here, have the British and
French forces, encountered each other, in fierce feud;
and here finally, have the British, and American colonists
met, to fight out their differences.
SARATOGA. 123
There are many ruins of forts, and places memorable for
some celebrated encounter, or romantic adventure ; and
the interest of the spectator, in these various lovely spots,
is enhanced by the associations connected with them.
After spending a couple of days, amid these romantic
scenes time not permitting a longer stay the stage
coach conveyed me, over a fine plank-road, and through
beautiful scenery, to Glen's Falls, a rising town on
the Upper Hudson. Here the river rushes over a ledge
of rock, 900 feet wide; and falls a distance of 70 feet,
presenting a very picturesque appearance. It is, however,
difficult to imagine this, to be the spot, where Cooper
laid most of the scenes in his " Last of the Mohicans ;"
for civilization with its usual disregard for sentiment, and
its all-conquering utilitarianism has covered the banks
with saw-mills, and other useful, but decidedly unsightly
buildings.
The Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad rapidly con
veyed me to the celebrated watering-place, Saratoga,
where all the upper ten of American society flock during
the months of July, and August, to drink the waters, to
dance, and flirt ; for in Saratoga, in these consist the
whole duty of man, and more especially so, of woman.
Although at the time of my arrival, the great influx of
visitors had not yet set in, it was no difficult matter
to form an idea how gay the place must be, in the height
of the season.
124 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
Saratoga contains a population of 9,000 ; but during
the months of July and August, this number is increased
by visitors to 30,000. The hotels are colossal ; the
principal being the Grand Union, the Congress Hall,
and the United States, which are only open for four
months out of the year, and will alone repay a visit to
Saratoga. The Grand Union has over a mile in length
of piazzas, two miles of halls, ten acres of carpets, and
eight hundred bedrooms. These hotels are, in spite of
their great size, very comfortable ; and their proprietors
cater for the amusement of their guests, during the
season, by having good bands, and balls every night.
They will each accommodate from a thousand to fifteen
hundred guests. The arrivals at Saratoga, during the
season, often amount to a thousand daily.
And now a few words about the Springs, which are
chalybeate or acidulous saline, according to the relative
proportion of their particles ; the constituent ones being
carbonate of soda, chloride of sodium, carbonate of
magnesia, hydriodate of soda, silica and alumina,
carbonic acid gas, with occasional traces of iodine and
potassa. The principal are Congress and Columbia
Springs, both situated in a tastefully laid out little park,
and over them elegant light structures have been erected ;
Excelsior Spring, situated in Excelsior Park; High
Rock Spring, situated on the top of a rock, whence its
name ; the Hamilton and Hathorn Springs, in the
THE SPRINGS. 125
centre of the town ; the Washington, United States, and
Empire Springs ; Red Spring, so called from the colour
of its waters when agitated ; the Star, Eureka, and White
Sulphur Springs. Putnam Spring is used for bathing
purposes, being chalybeate. The most remarkable is the
Geyser, or Spouting Spring, the waters of which spout
up high in the air, through a shaft sunk 140 feet through
the solid rock j and are very saline, and only fourteen
degrees above zero. The Glacier Spring is another
geyser, in close proximity to it.
Life in Saratoga, in the great hotels, may be summed
up in a few words. It is ephemeral, only lasting a
couple of months ; and during that period wealth, beauty,
fashion, and other ingredients not so desirable, meet and
intermingle, in the whirl and excitement of the ballroom
at night ; visits to the Springs in the morning ; and
promenades or drives, in the afternoon. The extrava
gance of the present fashion of ladies' dress, is here seen
in all its ungraceful, and disfiguring effects. Here, really
pretty girls of eighteen or twenty, may be noticed,
painted, and powdered, and with their figures so
distorted ; that instead of natural youth, and comeliness,
they present an appearance, more closely approaching
decrepitude, and ugliness.
One of the principal jaunts in the neighbourhood, is
the fine six mile drive to Saratoga Lake, a charming
spot, where during the season, many regattas take place.
126 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
Taking train again, a pleasant journey through some
of the fine midland counties of the Empire State,- as the
State of New York is called, brought me to the important
city of Troy.
This remarkably pretty town contains many fine public
edifices, churches, and private residences ; and has a popu
lation of 45,000. It is the seat of some very extensive
manufactures, the principal of which are large iron-works,
and factories for the manufacture of carriages, boots and
shoes, and hosiery.
A notable feature, and a prominent landmark, is the
Theological Seminary of St. Joseph, a fine structure of
the Byzantine order of architecture, on Mount Ida.
The city also contains the great Watervliet Arsenal,
where are kept many relics of the battles that were
fought around Saratoga and Yorkton. Six miles from
Troy is the city of Albany, the capital of the Empire
State, built on the River Hudson, at the head of its tide
water.
Albany, after Jamestown in Virginia, is the oldest
settlement in the original thirteen States. It was
founded by the Dutch in 1612, and named by them
Williamstadt, until 1664, when it fell into the hands of
the British, and was re-named by them Albany, in honour
of the Duke of York and Albany, afterwards James II.
The city has a population of 80,000, and is a place of
great commercial importance, from its position on the
ALBANY. 127
Hudson, and its proximity to the great Erie and Cham-
plain Canals ; the former of which gives it the command
of a fine water-way to the west ; and the latter, facilities
of cheap water carriage to the north. It is also the
centre of a large railway system.
Albany is situated on a high ridge, and with its
numerous spires, presents a very imposing appearance,
when seen from the opposite side of the river. State-
street, its principal thoroughfare, ascends from the
water's edge to the height, on which stand the Capitol,
and principal public buildings.
The present State House is a plain, unpretentious
building ; but the new Capitol now in course of erection,
in close proximity to it, will be, when completed, the
finest edifice in the whole country ; with the exception
alone of the Federal Capitol at Washington.
The State Library is a fine building, containing 90,000
volumes ; and amongst other historical relics and
curiosities, the original Arnold and Andre Correspon
dence.
The City Hall is a beautiful white marble structure,
with a fine portico, supported upon six Ionic columns.
Albany possesses several public libraries, museums,
and establishments devoted to educational purposes ;
amongst the latter may be mentioned the Normal School,
for the training of teachers. Its churches are numerous,
and many of them are handsome structures.
128 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
In the western part of the city is Washington Park,
which forms an agreeable recreation ground ; and bids
fair in time, to become a great ornament to it.
On the opposite side of the Hudson, and connected
with the City proper, by means of a fine iron bridge, is
the pretty and populous suburb of Greenbush.
CHAPTER XI.
THE HUDSON RIVER, WEST POINT.
SCENERY of the Hudson Poughkeepsie Devil's Danskammer
Newburg Bay West Point Military College Nomination of
Cadets Training Discipline Cozzens Buttermilk Falls
Gibraltar Sing-Sing Sunnysides The Palisades Arrival
at New York.
AT Albany, I embarked on one of the magnificent
Hudson steamers, for the trip down the river to New
York. The scenery of the Hudson has been so often
described, that its beauties have now a world-wide
reputation, and attract crowds of tourists. It is often
compared with the Rhine, and by many thought to
exceed that river in grandeur ; but I cannot concur in
this view. There are spots of rare beauty, such as
West Point, which favourably compare with any portion
of the Rhine scenery ; but the greater width of the
Hudson, does not compensate, for its deficiency in those
romantic hills crowned with castellated ruins, which are
so numerous on the banks of its rival, and which
constitute one of its chief attractions. Still it is a grand
river, and the trip from Albany to New York, is most
enjoyable.
From Albany to Hudson, a rising little town of some
13,000 inhabitants, situated on the east bank of the
10
130 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
river, forty miles distant from the former, there is a degree
of sameness in. the scenery ; but thence to Poughkeepsie,
the banks are lined with fine country residences, their
lawns sloping down to the water's edge. Poughkeepsie
lies nearly mid-way between Albany and New York ; being
distant from the former place eighty miles, and from the
latter seventy-five. It is beautifully situated on hills over
looking the river, and was originally a Dutch settlement.
It has now become a fine town with a population of over
20,000 souls, containing several fine educational establish
ments, the best known being Vassar College for females.
After leaving Poughkeepsie, the scenery became much
finer; and for some time we journeyed through pretty
country, passing many important, and pleasantly situated
villages. The most sti iking feature, on this part of the
route, is a broad flat platform of rock, jutting out into
the river, called the Devil's Danskammer, or dancing
chamber; used until recently by the Indians, in the
performance of their religious rites.
We now entered the broad expanse of Newburg Bay,
and soon arrived at a small place called Cornwall, much
visited by tourists in summer time, being cool, near West
Point, and having many lovely drives in the neighbour
hood. We pursued our way across the Bay, until we
came to its outlet ; with the Boterberg Mountains rising
on the one side, and Breakneck Rock on the other ; and
with mountains, and cliffs surrounding us on all sides,
MILITARY COLLEGE. 131
seeming to shut us in the basin of the lake, lying at their
feet, from which there appeared to be no outlet.
The principal of these mountains is Cro'-Nest, which
rises abruptly from the water's edge, to a height of 1,500
feet ; and being covered with verdure, presents a charming
appearance. This is one of the most picturesque spots on
the Hudson. Continuing on our course, past overhanging
cliffs, with their background of hills ; we soon came to
West Point, which, from its beautiful position, and
historical associations, is undoubtedly the most interesting
of all the many charming places on the river.
In order to see the famous Military College here, I
ianded, and spent a most delightful day, amongst the
great natural beauties of West Point. The College
buildings are of stone, built on a platform of rock 150
feet above the river ; and are approached by a fine road
cut through the solid rock.
The view from this platform is splendid : cliffs rise
abruptly from, and high hills undulate to the water's edge ;
and the river itself is covered with the white sails of
numerous craft ; whilst in the distance are seen the
Catskill Mountains.
The College buildings comprise a large and somewhat
imposing barracks for the accommodation of the cadets ;
a chapel and library, a mess-room, an observatory, labora
tory, and riding-school. In front of the College is a fine
piece of ground, on one side of which, are several pretty
132 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
villas inhabited by the professors ; and the ground itself
descends through woods to the river. Here on the
slope, and along the banks of the river, many pretty
winding walks have been made, one being denominated
" Flirtation Walk" ; and these certainly form a charming
adjunct to the place. In various spots, adding to the
general picturesqueness, are erected batteries, and
trenches, for the instruction of the cadets.
The nominations to the College are made by Members
of the House of Representatives, and the course of study
extends over four years, during which time a cadet is
taught a knowledge of all branches of the profession ; so
that, if he be recommended for a commission, and
appointed say to a cavalry regiment ; his knowledge of
infantry tactics, of artillery practice, and of engineering,
may stand him in good stead in after life. The value of
this training was shown in the late civil war, during the
course of which, nearly all the men who came to the front,
were graduates of West Point.
The cadets wear a grey uniform ; and the discipline
maintained is strict, in fact, it seems to be unnecessarily
severe. For the first two years after their admission,
cadets are not allowed to go outside the College limits ;
they are then permitted to visit their friends for two
months, after which vacation they return for another term
of two years. The use of beer, wine, spirits, and tobacco,
is prohibited ; and to prevent the possibility of smuggling
COZZENS. 133
the latter, cadets were forbidden the use of pockets m
their uniforms. This stringent regulation has of late
been modified, as it was found to act detrimentally ;
inasmuch, as after a forced abstinence from indulgences,
that might otherwise have had little charm for him, a
graduate, on leaving College, and finding himself placed
beyond this forced restriction, usually rushed into the
opposite extreme of over-indulgence. The cadets number
250, and the entire cost of study is defrayed by the State.
Reluctantly I left West Point, and again taking the
day steamer, proceeded on my way down the river to
New York. A short distance from West Point is a
fashionable place of summer resort called Cozzens,
where a fine hotel is erected, which during the hot
months, is crowded with visitors. This hotel is perched
on the top of a high cliff, the highest for a great distance
around ; and nothing can be more picturesque than its
position high up in the air, looking down on the noble
river. It is several hundred feet above the water ; but
so perpendicular are the rocks, that it appears double
the height. The view of this building crowning the
beetling cliff, which rises abruptly out of water, may well
be compared with the most beautiful Rhine scenery.
Near Cozzens are the Buttermilk Falls, formed by a small
river rushing down the side of a hill, a distance of 100 feet,
and falling into the river below, in a sheet of white foam.
Another spot of unequalled grandeur is at a place
134 TRANS PACIFIC SKETCHES.
called Gibraltar : here the river makes a sudden bend to
the west, and the Dunderberg Mountain lifts its towering,
head, just behind the prettily situated village. Close by
is the great rock promontory of Anthony's Nose, rising.
1,300 feet out of the water, and forming one of the most
noticeable features of the river scenery. Opposite, on
the other side of the river, protected by two strong forts,
a creek empties itself into the river, of such depth that
the largest ships could ride at anchor in it ; and in close
proximity is the beautiful lona Island, forming altogether
as charming a view as could anywhere be seen.
We had now passed through the highlands, and the
scenery, which for the last sixteen miles had been truly
grand, now became more tame. Sing-Sing was soon
reached : here is erected the great State Prison of New
York State, which is visible from the river, is built about
200 feet above its level, and accommodates one thousand
inmates. On the opposite bank of the river is Rockville,
notable for its ice stores : here immense quantities of ice
are cut out of a lake of fresh water in the neighbour
hood, and stored for the supply of New York City. The
consumption of ice in this country is enormous. As we
steamed past, being a hot day, it was very refreshing to see
the great blocks of ice pushed down inclined planes, into
lighters specially constructed for their conveyance. Hard
by is theCroton Lake, which supplies New York with water,
conducted through an aqueduct thirty-three miles long.
MANHATTAN ISLAND. 135
The private residences on the heights now became
more numerous, and though many of the marble and
stone buildings are more pretentious, none are so pleasing
as the charming cottage called Sunnysides, formerly the
residence of Washington Irving, and the place where
most of his works were written.
Before approaching New York we passed that most
remarkable, but singularly beautiful rock formation
called the Palisades. These Palisades form an unbroken
line for fifteen miles, of bold perpendicular trap rock,
columnar in formation, from three to six hundred feet high ;
which presents a solid front to the river. This rocky barrier
is so effective, that the Hackensack River runs parallel
with the Hudson, but at a higher level, for thirty miles,
and at a distance of only two to three hundred yards.
We now approached Manhattan Island, upon which is
built the City of New York, and as we steamed down
the Spuyten Duyvel, a branch of the Hudson,
separating New York from its dependency, Jersey City ;
the change from the quietude of the scenery through
which we had been passing, and in which I had for
some time been lingering ; to the crowded shores, and
busy waters ; where the noisy hum of active life
resounded, and where the very atmosphere seemed to
grow thicker, and more oppressive over this human hive ;
I involuntarily sighed for the quiet of the rural scenes,
through which we had recently passed.
CHAPTER XII.
NEW YORK CITY, BROOKLYN, AND LONG BRANCH.
POSITION OF NEW YORK. Description of the City Harbour
Selfishness of Americans Streets Squares Communication
within the City Public Buildings Churches Educational
Institutions Central Park Theatres Imports and Exports
Brooklyn Prospect Park Greenwood Cemetery Atlantic
Dock Plymouth Church the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher
Long Branch Life at Long Branch.
THE City of New York, the commercial metropolis of the
United States, and the largest city in the . Western
Hemisphere, is situated at the mouth of the Hudson, and
occupies the whole extent of Manhattan Island ; which
is thirteen and a half miles, long, by a width varying from
a few hundred yards to two miles and a quarter. It also
takes up a portion of the mainland, and three small
islands in East River viz., Randall's, Ward's, and Black-
well's. The area of New York is forty- one and a half
square miles, of which twenty-one and a half are on Man
hattan Island, nineteen on the mainland, and about three
quarters of a mile on the smaller islands. Its greatest
length is sixteen miles, and its greatest width four and a
half. It is separated from the City of Brooklyn by a
branch of the Hudson called East River ; and from its
NEW YORK. 137
other leading dependency, Jersey City, by the Hudson
proper. The older portion of the city is irregularly laid
out ; the larger and newer portion is more regular. The
streets running the length of the island are called
avenues, and are numbered from First upwards ; the
cross-thoroughfares bear the name of streets, and are
numbered from First and go up to 2251!^. The buildings
between two streets form a block, and twenty-one blocks,
including the roadway, measure a mile.
I was much struck with the English appearance of the
city, and subsequently observed this to be a feature of all
the great cities of the Eastern States ; notably of Boston,
Baltimore, and Philadelphia.
Places like Chicago and San Francisco, being of much
more recent settlement, have an individuality of their
own ; but the large towns of the New England and other
Eastern States, being substantially built, and having
in parts already an old appearance, greatly resemble large
English cities. In New York, especially, the streets near
the wharves, in the older portion of the city, are very dirty,
and have already acquired a somewhat antiquated look.
The Harbour is remarkably fine, and picturesque. The
outer bar is at Sandy Hook, distant eighteen miles from
the Battery at the extreme end of Manhattan Island ;
and is crossed by two channels, either of which will
admit vessels of the heaviest draught. Entering the Bay
from the ocean, the Narrows are passed ; and vessels
138 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
then sail between Staten, and Long Islands ; passing
which, the batteries of Fort Richmond, and Fort
Tompkins, are seen on the one side ; and Fort Hamilton,
and Fort Lafayette, on the other. The vessel then
enters the Harbour ; the whole of the city being spread
out like a panorama in front, with Brooklyn on the right,
and Jersey City on the left.
The population of New York now consists of one
million souls ; while Brooklyn contains nearly half-a-
million more. It is computed, that on every working
day, there are a million and a half of people congregated
in the city.
Broadway, the principal thoroughfare, is eighty feet
wide ; it is six miles long, and contains most of the
best retail establishments, the number and size of which
are very great. The leading hotels with a few exceptions
are also situated in this splendid street ; and it is a pre
vailing habit, to sit on chairs placed on the footpath, in
front of them, greatly to the inconvenience of passers-by.
This selfish attention to individual comfort, and total
disregard of that of others, seems to be, by the way,
very common with the Eastern Americans. So far, in
fact, is this habit carried, that it becomes a want of
common politeness ; for it is a daily occurrence, to see a
lady enter a car filled with men and youths, none of
whom, would think it necessary to rise, in order to give
her a seat.
NEW YORK. 139'
Wall Street, running from Broadway to the East River,
about half-a-mile in length, is the financial centre of the
City ; it contains most of the Banks, the Custom House,,
and Treasury.
The Bowery, the principal street in the eastern part of
New York, is a continuation of Third Avenue ; and is a
fine, wide, and busy thoroughfare.
Fifth Avenue is the Belgravia of New York, almost
exclusively devoted to private residences, of the better
class ; and also containing some of the finest places of
worship in the city. These residences very much
resemble the second-class houses, in the West-end of
London ; but have a greater number of steps in front
called " the stoop," upon which, in the hot weather, the
whole family may be seen sitting, in the cool of the
evening. On Sundays, after Morning Service, numbers
of well-dressed people congregate in this avenue, to
promenade, and exhibit their elaborate toilets ; and it
then presents a gay, and animated scene.
Maddison, and Lexington Avenues, are scarcely inferior
to Fifth Avenue, in the number of their private residences.
. Park Avenue is a very broad street, with fine houses ;.
and for some distance is tunnelled, to allow the street
cars to pass underneath ; and where this occurs, the
openings for admitting light, and air, to the tunnel, are
surrounded by little greens in the centre of the avenue,,,
which give it a unique, and very pretty appearance.
140 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
Large as the city is, it boasts but few squares, which
would contribute so much to its health, and beauty, and
serve to relieve the monotony, of the miles of bricks and
mortar ; and the few it possesses, have a very untidy
look. Maddison Square on Broadway, is the most
fashionable of these reserves ; it covers six and a half
acres of tastefully laid out ground, and contains a fine
monument to General Worth, the hero of the Mexican
War. Union Square, also situated on Broadway, is an
oval of three and a half acres, well laid out, with fine
trees ; and contains a fine fountain in the centre, a
bronze equestrian statue of Washington, and a monument
to Lincoln.
Mount Morris Square, on Fifth Avenue, . comprises
twenty acres, with a rocky eminence in the centre ; round
which a walk winds to the summit. The Battery, at the
south extremity of the city, looking out upon the Bay,
embraces twenty-one acres, laid out in walks, &c., and
protected by a granite sea-wall. It was the site of a fort
in the early days of New York, and later was surrounded
by the residences of the wealthy ; now, this portion of
the city in which it is situated is wholly devoted to
business purposes. In close proximity used to be the
-well-known building called Castle Gardens, which has
recently been destroyed by fire. This was for a long
time past, the place where immigrants were lodged on
arrival ; to prevent their falling into the hands of the
NEW YORK. 141
many land-sharks, who would otherwise have plundered
them of their little all.
Washington Square covers eight acres ; Stuyvesant
Square four and a half acres ; and with Gramercy Park,
and Reservoir Park, complete the number of New York
Squares ; which are quite inadequate to the requirements
of the city.
Every succeeding year more clearly demonstrates the
utility of squares in densely populated cities, to act as
breathing places, or metaphorically speaking, as lungs.
Communication with the different parts of the city is
effected by means of a good tram-car system ; rails being
laid through most of the streets, except Broadway, where
omnibusses take the place of the tram-cars. There is
also an elevated railway, raised above the streets, so as
not to interfere with the ordinary traffic ; the rails being
laid on iron columns twenty feet high. This railway
runs from Thirtieth Street to the Wharves ; and the
carriages resemble those of an ordinary railway ; except,
that they are lower in the middle than at the ends, thus
giving them, it is said, a better grip of the rails. Up to
the present no accident has happened, and the system is
being gradually extended.
For a city of such size and importance New York is
very deficient in fine public buildings. Many of the best
edifices appear to have been raised by private enterprise.
The finest public building is the Post-office, in the mixed
142 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
Doric and Renaissance style, four stories high with a
mansard roof, and several louvre domes. It is a noble
building, and well adapted to the enormous postal
^business carried on in it.
The City Hall is a handsome structure in the Italian
style, three storeys high, built of marble ; the fagade
being lined with Ionic and Corinthian columns, in the
style so prevalent in American public edifices.
The Court House is a plain and massive Corinthian
building ; but it is not yet completed. It is built of
white marble ; the main entrance being approached by
thirty broad steps, ornamented with massive marble
columns. The cost of this building has been $i 2,000,000 ;
in consequence of the great frauds connected with its
erection. " Boss " Tweed is alone supposed to have
netted half the total cost.
The Tombs is a granite prison, of pure Egyptian style
of architecture, and possesses an imposing but gloomy
-entrance. In this building the magistrates sit daily, for
the trial of minor offences.
The Custom House is a plain building, noteworthy for
the immense size of the columns, which support the pedi
ment of the front elevation. Under the dome in the
interior is the rotunda ; around the sides of which are
eight lofty columns of Italian marble with carved Corin
thian capitals.
The Treasury is a good specimen of Doric architecture,
NEW YORK. 143
built of white marble, and approached by a flight of
eighteen marble steps ; it contains a fine rotunda, sup
ported by sixteen Corinthian columns.
The Equitable Life Insurance Office, the Park Bank,
the New York "Herald" Office, the "Tribune" Building,
the Drexel Building, the Staats Zeitung Building, and the
New York Life Insurance Office, are amongst the most
prominent, of the private edifices in New York. Stewart's
retail store is a fine building, five storeys high, occupying
the entire block between Ninth and Tenth Streets, and
Broadway and Fourth Avenue.
The Masonic Temple is a fine granite building of five
storeys, surmounted by a dome.
New York contains twelve public libraries ; the prin
cipal of which are the Astor, the Mercantile, and the
Lenox. The first contains 148,000 volumes, and was
founded, and endowed, by Jacob Astor, and his son
William Astor ; the second, contains 145,000 volumes;
the Lenox is a fine building, but the library has not yet
been opened.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a fine collection
of paintings by the old masters, of statuary, pottery,
ceramic-ware, coins, armour, and antique and mediaeval
curiosities. It also contains the famous Cesnola collection
of Cypriote antiquities.
The National Academy of Design is a unique building
of gray and white marble, and bluestone ; designed after
144 TRANS -PACIFIC SKETCHES.
a palace in Venice, in the Moresque style. It contains a
splendid collection of Egyptian antiquities, and Nineveh
relics. In it is exhibited every spring a collection of the
recent works of American artists.
There are in New York 370 churches, belonging to
the different denominations ; some of which are very fine.
Trinity Church, opposite Wall-street, is one of the oldest
and most important ; it is a fine building, very cathedral-
like in appearance. The land for some distance down
Broadway was granted to the Church by Queen Anne in
1705, and has so increased in value, that this Church has
become the wealthiest in America. Attached to it is a
churchyard, where repose the remains of Captain
Lawrence of the Chesapeake, Emmett the Irish patriot,
and other distinguished men. St. George's Church in
the vicinity of Union Square, is a handsome edifice, built
of stone, with two lofty towers. Its interior is very
beautiful ; and it is said to accommodate a greater number
of people, than any other church in the city. Grace
Church, situated at the sharp turn of Broadway, is the
fashionable place of worship. It is a remarkably pretty
structure, and, with its parsonage, forms a nice relief to
the monotony of the surrounding masses of brick and
mortar. The Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Patrick,
in course of erection, will be, when completed, one of the
finest ecclesiastical edifices in the world, being built
entirely of white marble, with beautiful and delicate
NEW YORK. 145
tracery, resembling in much the celebrated Milan
Cathedral.
The Temple Emanuel, the principal Jewish place of
worship, is the finest specimen of Saracenic architec
ture in America. Its internal decorations are magnificent,
the colours being beautifully toned, harmonizing well, and
a general appearance of richness pervading the whole.
The public institutions of the city, both for educational
and charitable purposes, are numerous. The principal
educational establishments are the University of New
York, a fine marble gothic structure ; Columbia College,
standing in fine grounds, and containing a library and
museum ; the College of the City of New York, a free
institution, forming part of the national school system ;
the Normal College, for the training of teachers for the
state schools, a fine building in the secular-gothic style ;
and the Cooper Institute, founded by Peter Cooper.
This latter contains a free library and reading room,
free schools of art, of wood engraving, of photography,
and telegraphy for women ; and free night schools for
both sexes. It has nearly 3,000 students, and is a most
meritorious and praiseworthy institution ; in its beneficial
effects, perhaps nowhere equalled.
There are numerous hospitals and asylums for the
blind, the deaf mutes, and the insane. The principal
place for the cure of the sick is Bellevue Hospital, which
accommodates 1,200 patients.
ii
146 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
A description of New York, however short and
limited, would be altogether incomplete without some
mention of one of its best features viz., Central Park.
This place of recreation is undoubtedly one of the largest
and finest in the world, occupying a rectangular area of
343 acres.
In this park, in addition to several fine lakes, are the
two Croton Reservoirs, covering an area of 140 acres; the
remaining ground being laid out to form ten miles of
carriage drives, and thirty miles of footpaths, and is
adorned with numerous bridges, statues, and arbours.
The Mall, the principal walk, is bordered by a double
row of stately elms ; and contains bronze statues of
Shakespeare, and Sir Walter Scott. Central Lake,
reached from the terrace, by descending a broad flight of
steps, is the loveliest spot in the park ; and the crowd of
small yachts and pleasure boats, always to be seen
on it, assists in making up a very gay, and animated
scene. Central Park is a place of which New Yorkers
may justly be proud ; and as public conveyances can
always be obtained at a small charge, strangers can easily,
and without fatigue, see all its points of attraction.
Some of the theatres are remarkably fine, especially the
Grand Opera House, and the Academy of Music. Booth's
is handsomely decorated, and Wallack's, and Fifth
Avenue are also fine houses. The nine or ten others are
second-rate.
BROOKLYN. 147
The imports of New York amount to seventy-nine, and
the exports to seventy-one millions sterling. More than
half the foreign trade of the United States, is carried on
through this port ; and two-thirds of all the Customs
duties, levied by the Government, are here collected.
Brooklyn, though a distinct city with separate munici
pal officers, is generally regarded as a dependency of
New York ; many of the merchants having their counting-
houses in the latter, and residing in the former. It covers
an area of twenty square miles, and contains a population
of half-a-million. It is often called the " City of Churches "
on account of the great number of its religious edifices ;
and it otherwise possesses many tine public buildings.
Prominent amongst the latter, are the City Hall, a marble
edifice of the Ionic order ; the Court House, another
marble building of Corinthian architecture, with a fine
portico and dome ; the Academy of Design ; and the
Mercantile Library; the latter, a fine Gothic building,
with reading-rooms, and 40,000 volumes.
Prospect Park is a large, and fine recreation-ground,
covering 550 acres of ground. The view from here, of
the cities of New York, and Brooklyn ; of the harbour,
with its shipping ; and the rivers, with their islands ; is
very fine. It is beautifully laid out, somewhat after the
style of Central Park ; but is more densely timbered, and
its large meadows, shut in by wooded hills, give it a
distinct individuality.
148 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
Greenwood Cemetery is however, the lion par excel
lence of Brooklyn ; and nothing better illustrates, the
decidedly aristocratic tendencies of the better, or wealthier
class of Americans ; for here, with a profusion quite
unknown in any part of Europe, millions of dollars have
been expended, in adorning the graves of the dead.
The Cemetery itself, is a fine park of 413 acres,
ornamented with lake, fountains, &c. ; and presenting a
varied surface of hill, dale, and plain, traversed by
seventeen miles of carriage drives, and fifteen miles of
footpaths, shaded by fine trees. The cost of allotments
in the Cemetery is so high, that they are only available
to the wealthier class ; and as it seems to be the custom,
for one family to vie with the other, for the possession of
the grandest mausoleum ; and to spend enormous amounts,
in trying to attain this end, it may safely be said, that
no Cemetery in the world, not even the celebrated
Pere la Chaise, in Paris, can compare with it, in grand
edifices and sculpture. The entrance itself is a work of
art, being a monumental structure of brown stone, in
the Gothic style, ornamented with sculpture, representing
scenes from the Gospels ; the most prominent being, the
Entombment, and Resurrection of Christ.
The Atlantic Dock is a fine piece of workmanship.
The basin occupies an area of forty-two acres, and the
depth of water is sufficient to float the largest vessels.
The piers surrounding the basin are of solid granite,
BROOKLYN. 149
upon which are erected large substantial warehouses ;
and which give a wharfage accommodation two miles in
extent. The Dry-dock is another great work ; it is built
of solid granite, contains 600,000 gallons of water, and
can be emptied by steam pumps in four hours.
A great Suspension Bridge is in course of erection,
to connect Brooklyn with New York ; it is to be 6,000
feet in length, the span across the river will be 1,600 feet.
Plymouth Church, of which Henry Ward Beecher is
the pastor, is a plain red brick building, but very
commodious, seating some 3,000 people. It resembles
in appearance a plain theatre ; and under the same roof
are rooms, used for lectures, and Sunday School purposes.
The Church also possesses other buildings in different parts
of the City, and has 2,500 children attending its Sunday
Schools. Beecher himself is a hale old man, straight as a
dart, and still in evident possession of much of his former
energy. His enunciation is clear, and distinct; and
the words seem to roll out of his mouth, without apparent
effort. He preaches a very practical theology. The
Sunday I attended his service, he took as his text, "The
night cometh"; and upon this theme he spoke at great
length, with special reference to the marriage relations.
He treated the text as referring to death, and exhorted
his hearers to set their houses in order, to be ready for
its dread advent. He referred to the great extravagance
in dress, and luxury in living, which compelled the father
150 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
of the family to leave home early, and return late, in
order to earn sufficient to keep up the extravagant style
of living, and which prevented him from seeing his
children the whole week. He supported with strong
arguments the theory that a business which compels a
man to labour more than eight hours a-day, should be
given up ; insisted upon life insurance, as a provision for
the wife and family, in case their bread-winner were
suddenly called away ; and suggested other practical
matters affecting the relations between man and wife,
and father and child. I also visited the Tabernacle, to
hear Beech er's great rival Talmage, who is thought by many
to be his superior in eloquence; but though much pleased
with the sermon, there was not about it that originality
that struck me so forcibly in Beecher's.
The heat in New York now became so oppressive,
that I went down to Long Branch, for a couple of days,
to take advantage of its cooler atmosphere and sea
bathing. Long Branch is a fashionable watering-place,
and like all American places devoted entirely to amuse
ment, teems with a mixed, motley assembly of the
wealthier class, and of the class, or classes, that prey
upon it ; for here congregate a number of parasites, both
male and female, swindlers all, who carry on what seems
to be a nourishing trade, at the expense of the pleasure
seekers, and more especially of those strange to the
habits of the country.
LONG BRANCH. 151
Long Branch can lay no claim to rural or marine
beauty; the beach is bad, and the town itself consists
almost entirely of large temporary hotels and boarding-
houses. The mode of bathing is the same as prevails in
France. Men and women wear bathing-dresses, and
bathe indiscriminately together ; and as the beach here
shelves abruptly, and the surf is strong, bathers are only
able to proceed a couple of yards or so into the water.
Life at Long Branch is circumscribed j visitors rise
late, breakfast late, and bathe late ; take a siesta during
the heat of the day, or attend any races that may be
held in the neighbourhood ; then a late dinner ; and in
the evenings there are balls, where they dance late ; after
which, they sup late ; and finally, retire late. I soon got
weary of this inane sort of life, and was pleased to
return to the heat and dust of New York.
CHAPTER XIII.
BOSTON, HARTFORD, NEW HAVEN, PROVIDENCE.
NEW ENGLAND CHARACTERISTICS.
NEWPORT Boston Harbour Pride of Bostonians Public
Buildings " Common" Harvard University Collegiate
Halls Curriculum Discipline City of Hartford Trinity
College " Charter Oak" Old Puritan Laws Position of New
Haven Yale College Description of Providence New
England States Principal Features Education Infanticide
Irreligion.
TAKING my passage by the steamer Bristol of the Fall
River line, I started for Boston. This steamer, together
with its sister ship the Providence, are amongst the largest
and most splendid in American waters ; and there are
few trips more enjoyable than that portion of the journey
to Boston, made in them.
On leaving New York, we had a fine coup d'ceil,
comprising a grand view of the harbour ; of the cities of
New York and Brooklyn ; of the shores of Long Island,
and the numerous small islands in the East River. The
passage was nearly all the way through the calm waters
of Long Island Sound, and the Atlantic was only gained,
j ust before the steamer entered the Fall River, whence the
BOSTON. 153
railway cars soon conveyed us to Boston. We made one
stoppage before arriving at the Fall River at Newport, a
clean little town in Narrangansett Bay, and a place of
great resort in the summer months. Here is an
old ruin, called the Northmen's Tower, supposed
to have been built by the early Norse discoverers of
America. This may or may not be, but the tower with
its rough piers and capitals has a very ancient appearance,
and is, in any case, a very curious relic.
Boston, the capital of the Old Bay State as Massa
chusetts is sometimes called, and chief city of New
England, is situated on Massachusetts Bay and comprises
Boston proper, East Boston, South Boston, Roxbury,
and Dorchester. The city proper covers a peninsula
only 700 acres in extent, and is consequently very closely
built upon.
East Boston occupies Maverick's Island, and having
the greatest depth of water, at its wharves lie all the
ocean steamers, and vessels of large draught. Some
of these wharves are of considerable extent, that
belonging to the Cunard Company being over 1,000
feet long.
South Boston extends for about two miles along the
south side of the harbour, by an arm of which, it is
separated from Boston proper.
The city is connected with Charlestown, one of its
suburbs, by the Charles river bridge 1,500 feet long ; and
154 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
with Cambridge, another of its suburbs, by the West
Boston bridge 2,750 feet in length.
The harbour covers an area of about seventy-five
sqyare miles, and is studded with numerous islands,
which give it a very picturesque appearance. It is
memorable for having been the scene of the occurrence,
that led to the battle on the neighbouring heights of
Bunker Hill, the actual beginning of the Revolutionary
War, the results of which have been perhaps more
important, than those of any other historical event.
This occurrence, as is well-known, was the destruction,
by a party of Bostonians disguised as Indians, of the
obnoxious tea, attempted by the Home Government of
the day to be forced upon the colonists.
Boston is one of the oldest cities in the States, having
been founded in 1625, a few years after the settlement of
New York. In 1872, it was the scene of an immense
conflagration, which caused great devastation, destroying
about 800 of the best buildings, which have however in
an incredibly short space of time, been replaced by
other, and better edifices. It is very much like an
English provincial city in appearance, and is without
doubt the most old-fashioned town in the States; the
streets being mostly narrow and crooked, especially in
the older part.
Washington and Tremont Streets are the principal
business thoroughfares, and contain many fine shops, and
BOSTON.
other buildings. Since the fire the streets generally have
been widened, and otherwise improved.
Boston has often been called the " Athens of America,"
from Harvard University, the most ancient seat of learn
ing in the country, being in its immediate vicinity ; and
from its possessing many other institutions devoted to
higher learning. The pride of its New England inhabi
tants is proverbial, and was exemplified after the great
conflagration ; when Chicago and other towns collected
by voluntary contribution, and forwarded a sum of
^40,000, for the use of the people rendered home
less ; which the Bostonians refused to accept, on the
plea that they were rich enough to support their own
poor.
The public buildings of Boston are neither remarkable
for their number, nor beauty ; the most prominent are
the State House, and the City Hall. The former is a
building in the Grecian style of architecture, with an
imposing colonnade in front, and surmounted by a gilded
dome. The entrance leads directly into the Rotunda, in
which are a fine statue of Washington, busts of former
governors, and trophies of banners and cannon. The
City Hall is an imposing building of white granite,
in the Italian Renaissance style, with a fine louvre
dome. On the lawn in front is a fine bronze statue of
Franklin.
The Custom House is a stately granite structure, built
156 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
in the form of a Greek cross ; the portico on either front
being supported by heavy Doric columns. The new
Post Office in course of erection will be the finest
building in New England. The Masonic Temple con
tains handsome Egyptian, Corinthian, and Gothic
Halls.
The Boston Public Library is a very meritorious insti
tution, exceeded only in size and importance, by the
Library of Congress at Washington. It contains 260,000
volumes, 100,000 pamphlets, and the celebrated Tosti
collection of engravings. The library and reading-rooms
are open gratuitously to all, and residents have the
privilege of taking books home.
The Athenaeum is one of the best endowed in the
New World, and contains galleries of sculpture and
paintings, and a library of 100,000 volumes.
The Museum of Fine Arts is a new building of red
'brick, elaborately ornamented with terra-cotta bas-reliefs,
and contains some of the most valuable works of art in
the country.
The Institute of Technology is a school for instruction
in the applied sciences, and for granting degrees in
engineering ; it is on the model of the German technical
schools, and is found to be most beneficial in its results.
.Similar schools are now being introduced into the
Australian Colonies, and will, when properly established,
doubtless prove of great benefit.
BOSTON. 157
Boston contains several old buildings famous for
memorable events connected with the Revolutionary
times ; the principal of these being Faneuil Hall, called
the " Cradle of Liberty."
Right in the heart of the City is the " Common," an
area of 48 acres, laid out in lawns and walks, shaded by
fine trees, and surrounded by a handsome iron railing.
This park, in so densely populated a city, is a great
boon to the people, and an incalculable benefit to the
public health. Here in the evening numbers of the
citizens are to be seen, enjoying the fresh air ; and the
"Common" then presents quite a gay appearance.
Portion is used as a public garden, and is beautifully
arranged, and adorned with several fine statues.
Mount Auburn Cemetery, after Greenwood, the finest
in America, occupies 125 acres of ground; is well laid
out, and contains numerous artificial lakes, costly
monuments, and fountains. The entrance, built in the
Egyptian style is remarkably fine.
At Charlestown, is the Bunker Hill Monument ; a
plain massive obelisk 221 feet high, commemorating the
great battle fought on June lyth, 1775.
Harvard University, the most important seat of learn
ing in the States, is at Cambridge, a suburb of Boston ;
it was founded by the Rev. John Harvard an alumnus of
Emmanuel College, Cambridge, England, and now com
prises, besides the collegiate branch, schools of divinity,
158 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
law, medicine, dentistry, and the Lawrence school of
science. The college-yard, 15 acres in extent, is a fine
green with numbers of stately elms ; and within it are
clustered the fifteen plain and unpretentious buildings,
forming the University. One of these buildings, however,
the Memorial Hall, used as the Senate House, is a beau
tiful stone structure, with a fine tower 200 feet high. It
was raised at a cost of ^100,000 by the alumni and
friends of the University, in honour of those students who
fell in the Civil War ; and contains a large theatre or
lecture-hall, and various other large halls, the principal of
which, has splendid stained-glass windows, and on its
walls are carved the names of the alumni in whose honour
the edifice was erected. Other college buildings are
Matthews, Gray and Boylston Halls, used as dormitories ;
Massachusett Hall, as a reading-room ; Thayer Hall ;
Dane Hall, used as the law school ; and Gore Hall, which
contains the University library of 130,000 volumes;
besides which there are an Observatory, a Zoological
Museum, Herbarium, and Gymnasium.
The undergraduates number nearly a thousand, the
majority of whom are accommodated in the various dor
mitories, though many sleep in the town.
The curriculum resembles that of Oxford, prominence
being given to classical studies, which causes Harvard to
ihave a distinct individuality amongst American higher
-educational institutions; the tendency generally being
HARVARD. 159
towards utilitarianism. The matriculation examination,
which candidates for admission have to pass, is very
difficult, and the whole course of study is stringent : a
student having to attain a high state of efficiency before
he can obtain a degree. The discipline, however, is
very lax, there being no restrictions outside the class
rooms ; undergraduates being allowed to do pretty much
as they like. The students are drawn from the better
class, and seem to be a gentlemanly lot of men ; they
come chiefly from the New England States. Southern
and Western Americans generally prefer the great kindred
institution of Yale College, on account of its more
orthodox Christianity.
It struck me, that at Harvard, the mind is trained at
the expense of the body ; as the undergraduates do not
appear to go in for much exercise, and with the excep
tion of a little boating, and the national game of base
ball, there do not seem to be any outdoor sports. I
would say, however, that a graduate of Harvard should
be a thoroughly well educated man ; and the institution,
in spite of a few drawbacks, is one of which Americans
may justly be proud.
After spending a few days in viewing the lions of
Boston, I left by the New York and New Haven Rail
way for Hartford, which, until last year alternated with
New Haven as the capital of Connecticut, but which has
now been made the sole metropolis. It is one of the
l6o TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
prettiest of the many pretty New England towns, lying
in the valley of the Connecticut River, at the head of its
navigation and junction with Park River ; the country
in the vicinity being rich, cultivated plains, interspersed
with well-wooded hills, and dotted with villages and
homesteads.
The town itself is regularly laid out, some of the
streets running parallel with the Connecticut river and
being crossed by others at right angles; it is divided
into two portions by Park river, which is spanned by
numerous bridges. Main Street, the principal thorough
fare, presents for about a mile an unbroken front of
shops, public buildings and churches.
The city proper is connected with its suburb East
Hartford, by a fine iron bridge over the Connecticut
river 1,000 feet long. Hartford boasts a fine public
park, covering forty-six acres of ground, prettily situated
on the banks of Park River ; at the upper end of
which, are the buildings of the Episcopal College of the
Holy Trinity, the leading educational institution of the
city, and one of the most important in the State. The
course of instruction at Trinity College is similar to that
at Yale ; but more attention is paid to religious studies.
There are about a hundred students in residence, and a
staff of about twenty able professors. Divine Service is
held twice daily, at which the attendance of the under
graduates is compulsory; and attached to the College is a
HARTFORD. l6l
fine Library of 7,000 volumes, where the mitre, which
belonged to Bishop Seabury, is preserved as a relic,
such ornaments not being used in the American
Episcopal Church. The College buildings are three in
number, and are plain, substantial stone structures ; but a
new site for the College has been purchased, and it is
intended to erect better and more suitable edifices.
In close proximity to Trinity College, is the new State
House, in course of erection : this is to be a large marble
Gothic structure, and will contain in addition to the two
Chambers of the Legislature, the State Library, and the
Supreme Court.
The State Library contains the original Charter,
granted by Charles II. to Connecticut, which was for some
time concealed in an oak tree, from the wood of which
a chair has been made, which now stands in the Senate
Chamber. I was shown copies of some of the old laws
enacted by the Puritans, which assuredly do not err on
the side of leniency ; but prove these old zealots to have
been narrow-minded and bigoted to a degree.
Disobedient sons were punished with death, and people
convicted of being Quakers had one ear cut off for the
first conviction, the other for a second ; whilst for a third,
they were to have their tongues bored with a red-hot
iron, and to be whipped.
The Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb, situated in the
midst of extensive grounds, is a most meritorious, and
12
162 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
well-conducted institution, and was the first of the kind
erected in America.
Another noteworthy institution is the Wadsworth
Athenaeum, a fine castellated edifice, containing a gallery
of paintings, and statuary, a museum, and no less than
three distinct libraries, belonging to different associations.
The population of Hartford is about 40.000 ; and it is
the centre of numerous, and important manufactures, the
principal being the fabrication of iron and brass-ware,
steam-engines and boilers, firearms, tools, sewing-machines,
and plated-ware.
Just outside the City, on the river bank, and forming
a village by itself, is Colt's large firearm factory ; and in
close proximity, is the pretty little Episcopal Church,
erected by Mrs. Colt for the use of the men employed in
the works.
A short journey of thirty-six miles, through a good
agricultural country, past several clean little towns, brought
me to New Haven, the largest and most populous city of
Connecticut, and one of the oldest settlements in New
England. This city is built on a plain sloping gently
down to New Haven Bay, with a background of wooded
hills, two rocky promontories called East and West Rocks,
especially forming a striking feature in a picturesque
landscape. The town itself is clean and cheerful looking,
and contains a population estimated at 55,000 souls.
Chapel Street, containing the principal business and
NEW HAVEN. 163
public buildings, extends right through the city ; whilst
the private residences are in avenues, lined with stately
elm trees ; for which reason New Haven is often called
the " City of Elms."
In the middle of the town is the " Green," a square
shaded by fine trees, fronting on which are several
churches, and the City Hall, a handsome building,
containing in addition to the municipal offices, a large
hall in which courts are held.
New Haven is the centre of a large railway system,
and possesses numerous industries ; the manufacture of
machinery, clocks, firearms, hardware, and pianos, being
the principal.
Near the " Green " is College Square, in which are the
old fashioned buildings comprising the celebrated Yale
College, the great rival of Harvard University. The
Library, the Theological School, and the modern Durfee
and Farnum Halls, are certainly improvements upon the
other ugly buildings, which have, however, an old-
fashioned appearance, and air of comfort, very rare in
America. Connected with the College, are schools of
divinity, law, medicine, science, and the fine arts.
The Library contains 90,000 volumes ; and the Art
building has some fine collections of paintings and casts
from Greek antiques. The Old Commons' Hall contains
fine geological collections. The School of Science
has a laboratory, library, and scientific collections.
164 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
Alumni Hall is adorned with numerous portraits of
distinguished graduates. Yale was founded in 1700, and
is consequently nearly as old as Harvard ; it has now
over a thousand students in residence. The course of
instruction extends over four years, and is very severe ;
whilst the discipline outside the class-rooms, as at
Harvard, is very lax. Every student is compelled to
attend morning service, which is however a very cold
affair ; the prayers being mumbled over, whilst the
students, all the while, are preparing for the lectures of
the day.
Leaving New Haven by the Stonington and Providence
Railway, the road lies for some distance along the shores
of Long Island Sound, through well-cultivated country;
and after passing the important towns of New London r
Stonington, and Westerly, we arrived at Providence, one
of the capitals of Rhode Island, the smallest of all the
States in the Union. This city is situated on an arm of
Narrangansett Bay, called Providence River, and is, after
Boston, the most populous and wealthy city in New
England. It is a remarkably pretty place, the prettiest
in fact of all the New England towns. The river flows
into the centre of the city, where it expands into a fine
lagoon, nearly a mile .in circumference ; and round this
a park has been formed, planted with beautiful elms ; in
addition to which there are numerous greens or squares,
and a pretty park of 100 acres, called after the founder of
PROVIDENCE. 165
the city Roger Williams, by a descendant of whom it was
presented to the citizens.
The land upon which Providence is built, is somewhat
hilly ; and therefore unlike the flat monotony of New
Haven, it presents a diversity of appearance, rendered
picturesque by the hills being covered with fine residences.
The principal business thoroughfare is Westminster-
street, and from it extends the Arcade, one of the lions of
the city, of which the people of Providence are very
proud. This Arcade is 225 feet long and 80 feet wide,
and has three stories containing shops ; it is entered at
either end through an imposing Doric portico. On the
heights at one end of the town, are the six buildings of
the Brown University, an old, and one of the best
educational institutions in New England. These buildings
stand in extensive grounds, and contain a large library
and art collection.
The public buildings of Providence are neither remark
able for their number, nor beauty ; several now in course
of erection, when completed, will materially add to the
architecture of the city. In the centre of one of the
squares, stands a very fine monument of granite, with
five large bronze statues, erected to the memory of those
Rhode Island soldiers and sailors, who fell in the
Civil War. On this monument are inscribed the
seventeen hundred and odd names of those it com
memorates.
1 66 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
There are seventy-six churches in the city, some of
which are fine buildings.
The Athenaeum is a very useful institution, containing
a good library and reading-room, and a collection of
paintings. There are also several meritorious establish
ments for the cure of the sick, and the relief of the
distressed.
Providence contains a population of over 100,000, and
is the most important railway centre in New England,
and the seat of many manufactures ; the principal being
cotton and woollen goods (it being the leading American
market for "prints"), the Gorham-plate, the Peabody
rifles, and the celebrated Corliss engines.
New England comprises the six States of Maine,
New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island,
and Massachusetts ; and contains a gross population of
3,500,000 inhabitants. These States were originally
settled by the Puritans, who sought in the New World
that liberty of conscience, and freedom of thought, denied
them in the Old. How far, and to what extent the
principle of toleration was carried out by them, may be
judged by a perusal of some of their laws and enactments
given in an earlier part of this chapter.
The country has been brought into a high state of
cultivation, and the towns, though possessing a certain
primness, are clean, and pretty, and have a more settled
appearance than the majority of American towns ; their
NEW ENGLAND. 167
environs especially, being tidy and well kept, and having
in place of the wooden shanties so common in Western
towns, nice villas and trim gardens.
Great attention has been paid to the education of the
people and the chief seats of learning have their home
here ; the taste too for the Arts and Sciences is more
cultivated, than is the case in other States of the Great
Republic.
New England has hitherto given the tone to American
society and general national characteristics ; but this
privilege is being gradually lost in the rising greatness of
the Middle, Western, and South-Western States.
Life here, where the natural obstacles have long been
overcome, is quieter, and more peaceful than in the
West, where man is still waging a war with nature to
bring the soil under cultivation ; and there is a conse
quently smaller number of crimes of open violence,
although infanticide is said to prevail to a frightful
extent. Researches prove the fact, that it is owing to
the prevalence of this crime, that the descendants of the
original Puritan settlers are fast decreasing in number.
Irreligion is general ; Unitarianism prevails to a great
extent ; whilst Universalisrn counts many adherents ; and
it must not be forgotten that New England has given birth
to many of those free-love doctrines, that still like fungi,
cumber the earth. Such is the outcome of Puritanism.
CHAPTER XIV.
PHILADELPHIA AND THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBI
TION.
CITY of Philadelphia Fairmount Park Squares and Streets
Independence Hall Other Prominent Edifices Girard College
Exhibition Buildings Classification of Exhibits Main
Building Machinery Hall Agricultural Hall Memorial Hall
Horticultural Hall Women's Pavilion Government
Building Subsidiary Buildings Exhibition Grounds Cen
tennial Fountain Accommodation for Visitors.
RETURNING to New York, I proceeded by the Pennsyl
vania Railway to Philadelphia ; the journey being through
a flat and uninteresting country, but past many important
towns, amongst others, Newark a city of 100,000 inhabi
tants.
Philadelphia, the old Quaker City of Brotherly Love,
as its name implies, is the largest in the States, in point
of area, and the second in population. It is situated
between the rivers Delaware and Schuylkill, about six
miles above their junction ; at present contains about
350 miles of paved streets, and a greater number of
houses than any other city in America. It is very regu
larly laid out, the streets all running north and south, or
east and west ; the former are numbered successively
from the Delaware to the Schuylkill, commencing with
PHILADELPHIA. 169
First Street, and going up to Twenty-third, and as the
city has outgrown its former limits, they are now con
tinued on the other side of the Schuylkill and proceed for
a great distance. The houses in the streets running east
and west, which have mostly pomological names, as
Chestnut Street, Walnut Street, Vine Street, Filbert Street,
&c., are all numbered from east to west; all between First
and Second Streets, being numbered from 100 to 200, and
all between Second and Third Streets, from 200 to 300,
and so on. This is a system that might advantageously
be carried out in all new cities, as it enables a stranger to
find his way about very easily. For instance, if the nearest
house be 940 then the visitor knows he is between Ninth
and Tenth Streets ; and in like manner, as all the numbered
streets running north and south are allowed a hundred
numbers, for each block distant from Market Street, the
centre of the city ; a stranger has only to learn the cardi
nal points, and he can calculate to a nicety, his distance
from the Delaware or Market Street. The streets how
ever are not wide, and in spite of their regularity, Phila
delphia cannot be called a fine city ; especially as its
public buildings are not so imposing as those of many less
important places. Like Boston, it much resembles an
English city, and the inhabitants generally have an old-
country look.
The great feature of Philadelphia is Fairmount Park,
one of the largest in the world, covering a space of
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2,740 acres, extending for seven miles on both sides of
the Schuylkill River, and Wissahickon Creek. It is
nearly fourteen miles in length, and possesses great
natural beauty ; though up to the present time, little has
been done towards its improvement. Within the park
are situated the reservoirs that supply the city with water,
which latter is brought from the Schuylkill, and forced
up to the reservoirs by hydraulic pow'er. Fairmount also
contains a colossal bronze statue of Abraham Lincoln, and
a small Art gallery in which are a few very fine pictures.
Adjoining, is the new Zoological garden, which has
only recently been formed, but which already contains a
good collection of animals. The grounds are well laid
out, and the various houses for the animals are very
elegant structures.
There are some pretty squares in the city. Logan
Square contains seven acres, nicely arranged ; Washington
Square is enclosed by a handsome iron railing, is very
well kept, and contains a specimen of every kind of tree
that will grow in this climate, whether indigenous or not.
Franklin Square has a fine fountain in the centre, and
has a very trim appearance. Rittenhouse Square is in
the aristocratic portion of the city, and is surrounded by
fine mansions.
The principal streets are Chestnut Street, which con
tains the best retail establishments ; Market Street, the
principal business thoroughfare ; and Broad Street, con-
PHILADELPHIA. I J I
taining the principal private residences and churches.
Other leading thoroughfares are Lombard, Arch, Race r
Vine, and Third Streets.
The most interesting building in Philadelphia is-
undoubtedly Independence Hall ; in it the first Con
tinental Congress was held \ and here, on July 4th, 1776,.
the Declaration of Independence was adopted, and
publicly proclaimed from the steps. The room in which
Congress sat on that memorable occasion, presents the
same appearance now, that it did at that time j the
furniture having all been preserved. The building alsa
contains a statue of Washington, numerous portraits of
celebrated personages connected with the passing of the
Declaration of Independence, and many curious revolu
tionary relics. Here also is kept the celebrated
Liberty Bell, the first one in the United Colonies that
fang out a peal of joy, after the proclamation of Inde
pendence.
The public buildings are at present unpretentious, but
there are now in course of erection a new Post-office, to-
be in the French Renaissance style, and on a very
extensive scale, and a new building to be occupied as
Law Courts and Public Offices. This edifice is to be of
white marble, 486 feet long by 470 wide, four stories
high, and will cover an area of four acres and a half y
exclusive of a court-yard 200 feet square ; the centre
tower will be 450 feet high.
172 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
The present Post-office is a plain white marble building.
The Custom-house is a good specimen of Doric archi
tecture, modelled on the Parthenon at Athens, with the
exception of the columns at the sides. The Mint is also a
fine white marble building in the Ionic style.
The Eastern Penitentiary covers about ten acres of
ground, and in appearance resembles a baronial castle of
the Middle Ages ; here the silent system is in force,
prisoners being allowed to speak with the chaplain and
prison officials, but not with their fellow-prisoners.
Sufficient work is provided to keep them occupied.
The Merchants' Exchange is a large marble edifice,
with a semi-circular colonnade of eight pillars, and a
spacious Rotunda, which contains a handsomely-frescoed
reading-room.
The United States Naval Asylum is a large marble
building, standing in the midst of extensive grounds, and
has a fine Ionic portico with eight graceful columns. The
city also possesses two Arsenals, one of which is devoted
to the manufacture of army clothing, shoes, &c. ; and the
other to the storage of ammunition.
The Masonic Temple, the finest in the world, is a solid
granite structure, in the pure Norman style ; it is richly
decorated in the interior, and contains large Corinthian,
Doric, Egyptian, Ionic, Oriental, Norman, and Gothic
Halls.
Foremost amongst the Educational establishments is
PHILADELPHIA. 173
the University of Pennsylvania, which is one of the
oldest institutions in the country, having been founded in
1749. It occupies a group of handsome buildings, and
contains a fine library and museum, and gives instruction
to eight hundred students.
Girard College is a grand institution, founded by
Stephen Girard, who left two millions of dollars, to be
devoted to the erection of suitable buildings, to provide
for " the gratuitous instruction and support of destitute
orphans " ; and the residue of his large estate he devised
for its maintenance. All honour to this great and
generous man ! The College grounds extend over an
area of 42 acres ; the College, erected on a height, is a
noble marble building of the Corinthian order of archi
tecture, in the form of a Grecian temple j it is surrounded
by thirty-six marble columns, and is one of the most
chaste and beautiful structures in America. It at
present contains 540 inmates, and from its roof, built
of marble, and rising in steps from eaves to ridge, a
most commanding view of the city is obtained. On
the grounds is erected a fine monument to the gradu-
uates of the College, who fell in the Civil War. In
his will Girard provided that the orphans should be
fed with wholesome food, clothed with plain, decent
apparel, and instructed in the branches of a good sound
education. It is peculiar that while secular visitors are
allowed to inspect the College, no clergyman of any
174 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
denomination is admitted; it having been especially
provided in Girard's will, that he desired to keep the
lender minds of the orphans free from the excitement,
which sectarian controversy always engenders.
Amongst other high-class Educational institutes are the
Hahnemann Medical College, the Wagner Free Institute
-of Science, the Polytechnic College, and the College of
Physicians.
Philadelphia contains numerous charitable institutions ;
-the Pennsylvania Hospital, and the Hospital for the
Insane, are both admirable in their way.
Of the 420 churches in the city, many are fine build
ings, and there are numerous libraries, scientific institutes,
.and other associations and societies, devoted to various
^purposes.
Philadelphia has little left of its Quakerism, except it
be the formal manner in which it is laid out ; it has, on
(the contrary, the unenviable reputation of being one of
the fastest of the Eastern- American cities, and is notorious
for dissipation and crime.
It may be remarked as a curious coincidence, that on
the breaking out of the war between Great Britain and
the United States in 1812 ; a whale ascended the Dela
ware as far as the city, where it was caught. This
was a hitherto unprecedented circumstance, which was
however, repeated in 1861, on the breaking out of the
Civil War.
CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 175
At the time of my visit to Philadelphia, the great Cen
tennial Exhibition, commemorating the Centenary of
American Independence was being held, and a few words
about it, may not be out of place. The reason why
Philadelphia was selected as the place for holding the
Exhibition was, that the Declaration of Independence
was there signed and proclaimed to the people, and there
also the first Congress met. Boston and New York both
put in a claim for the honour, but it was rightly accorded
to Philadelphia.
The Exhibition was held in a portion of Fairmount
Park, allotted for the purpose, containing about 230 acres.
The articles for exhibition were classified in seven
departments, and placed in five distinct buildings as
under :
1. Mining and Metallurgy )
2. Manufactures > MAIN BUILDING
3. Science and Education ) Covering an area of 2i| acres.
4- Art MEMORIAL HALL ,, i
5. Machinery MACHINERY HALL ,, 14
6. Agriculture AGRICULTURAL HALL IOj ,,
7. Horticulture HORTICULTURAL HALL ,, 14
48| acres.
In addition to the above main buildings there were
also :
GOVERNMENT BUILDING, for " the purpose of exhibiting such
articles as tend to show the functions and administrative
faculties of the U. S. Government in time of peace, and
its resources as a war power. "
176 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
THE WOMEN'S PAVILION, erected by subscriptions from the
women of America, for the purpose of showing articles
of female work only.
BREWERS' HALL.
PHOTOGRAPHIC HALL.
CARRIAGE ANNEXE, and numerous other smaller buildings,
mostly private, which, with the State Houses and Foreign
Commissioners' Houses, covered together an area of 26
acres.
The buildings used for Exhibition purposes, thus alto
gether covered an area of 75 acres, being 25 acres in
excess of the last Vienna World's Fair. Unlike that
Exposition too, where the principal buildings had been
circular in form, the Americans at this, their great
Centennial Show had constructed theirs rectangular in
shape.
MAIN BUILDING.
This structure constructed principally of glass and
iron, was in the form of a long parallelogram ; its great
length and unbroken front, which might otherwise have
given it the appearance of monotonous sameness, being
relieved by numberless small towers. The larger portion
was one story high; the interior height being 70 feet;
whilst towers 75 feet high were erected at each corner.;
In its construction the building combined lightness and
stability in a marvellous degree, and was in itself an
exhibition of the skill of its architect and builders. The
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 177
roof, which was in three spans was remarkable for
strength and simplicity, and tended to prove that mere
weight in iron-work is not a gain but a positive disadvan
tage. The length of this mammoth building was 1,880
feet ; its breadth 464 feet ; and in its construction
$1,600,000 dollars had been expended. The manner in
which the floor-space was divided was as follows.
Traversing the entire length from east to west were five
avenues, each over a third of a mile in length, and the
centre one being 120 feet wide. These were intersected
by broad thoroughfares, all crossing one another at right
angles, and forming a total length of five miles ; which it
was necessary to traverse in order properly to inspect the
exhibits. In the centre of the hall a large space had
been left and furnished with galleries, from which a fine
bird's-eye view of the whole contents of the building
could be obtained. The panellings over this open space
were adorned with emblematical designs, representing
the four great divisions of the globe. On one side was
represented Europe, pouring its treasures at the feet of
Shakespeare and Charlemagne. On another square was
depicted Asia, its representative men being Mahomet
and Confucius. Africa was represented by Rameses and
Sesostris, with some very inscrutable looking sphinxes,
and America by Washington and Franklin.
It is quite impossible, in a limited space, to describe
the varied and splendid display in the main building,
13
178 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
which constituted the principal portion of the Exhibition.
In it were collected the choicest treasures of science, and
the greatest triumphs of manufacturing art; illustrating
what a high degree of perfection human industry and
ingenuity have attained.
All the principal Courts abutted on the main avenue,
and extended back to the wall ; broad passages forming
the divisions between the different countries.
Commencing at the right-hand side of the main avenue,
immediately upon entering, the Italian Court first claimed
attention ; not by reason of its position alone, but also
on account of the great attractiveness of its display.
Here were to be seen exhibits of those articles in which
Italy has obtained well merited pre-eminence ; beautiful
mosaics and cameos, delicate Venetian glassware, elegant
jewellery, filagree work, bronzes, carved furniture, and
church ornaments. Intermixed with these articles
de luxe might also be seen many things of more
homely manufacture, such as enter more into every-day
consumption. This Court proved a great source of
attraction to visitors, and always seemed to be crowded
with sight-seers.
Next in order was the Norwegian Court, which
contained a good display of thick woollen and cotton
cloths, of carved furniture, and wood work, of glassware,
of silver plate, of soaps and perfumes, with trophies of
cod-liver oil bottles, etc.
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 179
In close proximity was the Swedish Court, containing
a splendid collection of rich furs, some beautiful
specimens of filagree work, fine wood carvings, a large
assortment of arms of all descriptions, numerous articles
of Bessemer steel manufacture, and some excellent
samples of cutlery. A striking feature in this Court,
were groups of life-size figures of the Swedish peasantry
in their national dress. A family group contemplating
the death of a stag, that had just been shot by the two
males of the party, especially attracted attention.
Adjoining the Swedish were the Australian Courts,
which, though not so attractive as the majority of the
other sections, yet had a certain individuality about them,
that quietly yet forcibly claimed attention. The exhibits
collectively well represented the great, and as yet hardly
developed resources of the country, and in their way
were unrivalled. The fineness of the samples of wool
shown, the quality of the grain, the large yield of gold,
the excellence and quantity of the copper and coal, the
native woods, and the fine grain of the sugar, especially
taking the Americans by surprise ; and it must be satis
factory to Australians to know, that discussions have
already arisen in the American papers, as to the
desirability of modifying their tariff in such manner, as to
remove the restrictions on the importation of Australian
wool, which they acknowledge to be finer than any that
can be produced in the States, and very suitable to their
l8o TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
woollen manufactures. The exhibits of the different
Australian Colonies individually may have appeared
somewhat insignificant, as compared with other sections ;
but the whole display taken collectively, was one that
seemed very much to astonish the majority of the
visitors, whose ideas of Australia seemed hitherto to
have been of a very vague nature. This exhibition
must eventually be of inestimable value to the whole
group of colonies ; for it has materially spread the
knowledge of the great resources of this, the least
known quarter of the globe. As might be expected, the
most admirable portion of the Australian display, and
the one that most strikingly showed its great natural
sources of wealth, were those exhibits representing the
great industries, such as the wool, grain, wines, and
mineral samples. The articles of colonial manufacture
did not compare at all favourably with the exhibits of a
similar kind of older countries. In the Victorian Court
especially, many of the manufactured articles exhibited,
seemed to have place there for the sole purpose of filling
up surplus space. It was remarked too, by many, that
the exhibits of Victorian manufacture, in spite of the
so-called advantages of protection, were not equal in
finish to, or so cheap in price as, those of free-trade
New South Wales. This fact must speak volumes in
favour of unrestricted trade.
The samples of saddles and harness exhibited in the
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. l8l
New South Wales Court received much attention, and it
has been remarked by persons connected with that trade
in America, that it would be useless to think of exporting
to Australia, if such splendid articles in that line can be
made there. The mineral wealth of the Australian
Colonies was well represented by great trophies repre
senting the quantity of gold exported, by rich specimens
of quartz, heaps of smelted tin, pyramids of coal and
kerosene shale, and by masses of iron ore and copper.
The products and manufactures exhibited comprised
numerous samples of wool, grain, silk, sugar, arrowroot,
preserved fruit, confectionery, wines, spirits, liqueurs, and
vinegar ; flour, biscuits, preserved meats, tweeds, and
blankets ; silver goods, furs, rugs, and dressed sheep
skins ; stuffed birds and animals ; samples of olive and
eucalyptus oils ; brass and iron castings ; pianos and
billiard tables ; samples of leather, and numbers of
other articles. The numerous and well executed photo
graphs of the scenery, and cities of the different colonies,
must have tended materially to give visitors to the
section a striking idea of Australian advancement.
The various courts of the remaining British Possessions
came next. The Indian exhibits were few in number,
and the display generally fell far short of what might
have been expected from that great appanage of the
British Crown. The articles exhibited however were
very beautiful, and consisted of rich embroideries and
1 82 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
shawls ; silks, sandalwood boxes, ivory and feather fans ;
lacquered work, ivory carvings, stone and metal work,
and other Oriental articles de luxe.
The Cape of Good Hope only exhibited samples of its
principal industries, prominent amongst which were to
be seen a huge pyramid of wine bottles, specimens of
wool, minerals, ivory, and skins, and many others repre
senting its various products. The wall space of this-
Court, like the Australian section, was covered with photo
graphs, representing South African scenery and towns.
Jamaica had a modest display of its woods, rum, and
sugar ; whilst Bermuda, the Bahamas, and the other
smaller British Dependencies were represented by
unassuming collections, consisting of the various products
of their different latitudes.
Canada had evidently used every endeavour to make
a display worthy of itself, and certainly succeeded in
doing so, for the number and excellence of the articles
exhibited in this section, excited the admiration of all
visitors to it. In manufactures, the exhibits comprised
tweeds of fine finish, leatherwork, iron and stone work,
implements and tools, articles connected with ship
building, furniture, and furs, etc. ; all displaying great
taste and finish, and showing how far Canada has
advanced in the mechanical arts, and what a high state
of development has been reached in many departments
of manufacture. The mineral wealth of the Dominion
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 183
was also represented, and its mineralogical collection
was so well arranged, that it claimed universal attention,
Here were to be seen columns of beautifully grained
granite, huge blocks of plumbago, pyramids of coal, iron
ores, with samples of the manufactured articles ; slabs of
marble, gold in quartz and slate, and a fine display of
mineral oils. Altogether the exhibits of Canada were
numerous, and well arranged, and need not have feared
comparison in any way, with those of its great
neighbour, and rival, the United States.
Leaving the Canadian Court, the section of Great
Britain and Ireland was entered, and here a display,
though acknowledged to be not so good as it might have
been, was yet of so bewildering and dazzling a nature,
on account of the multiplicity and excellence of the
articles exhibited, as fully to justify Great Britain's claim
to industrial pre-eminence. It would require a volume
to enumerate and descant upon the variety and beauty
of the exhibits in this Court, which comprised every
department of manufacture, and exemplified in a high
degree, how the genius of man has made the products of
nature subservient to his will, and causes them to
minister to his wants. I heard it frequently remarked,
that the British Court claimed attention and admiration,
on the score alone, of the excellence and high finish of
the exhibits ; there having been, for so large a collection,
a singular absence of many articles attractive in them-
184 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
selves, and which would have served to enliven the
display of the more useful articles. Jewellery for
instance was conspicuous by its absence, and Elkingtons
were the only exhibitors of plated ware ; although their
display, which fronted the transept or main avenue, was
in itself sufficient to prove Britain's superiority in that
branch of manufacture. Pins, needles, reels of cotton,
tweeds, prints, iron and steel work, stone and earthen
ware, tools, hardware, paper and the thousand and one
useful articles exhibited by firms of world-wide reputation,
undoubtedly represent great industries and enter largely
into the consumption of every day life ; still they do not
as a rule prove attractive to general sight-seers, and on
that account the French and even the Italian Court,
always seemed to be more crowded with visitors, than
the great British section. The display of beautiful laces,
and needlework, of rich silks and splendid upholstery, of
magnificent furniture, of elaborate carpets and elegant
majolica-ware, scarcely seemed to relieve the general
monotony of the whole. The flat printing press, exhi
bited by the proprietors of the Graphic, which was in
daily operation, was a great centre of attraction.
Next in succession to the British, came the French
Court, which was very much smaller in size, but in which
the exhibits were arranged in a very attractive manner,
and consisting as they did, for the most part, of the
numerous articles which go by the generic term of
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 185
" articles de Paris" were much admired by visitors and
the Court always seemed very crowded. This is to be
attributed to the more attractive nature of the goods
displayed, prominent amongst which were to be seen
elegant jewellery, beautiful bronzes, masterpieces of the
milliners' art in the form of ladies' dresses, silks, velvets,
majolica-ware, gloves, fans and all those articles de luxe,
for the production of which, the French enjoy such
world-wide fame. Many of the French exhibits bore a
striking resemblance to those of a similar description in
the British Court, and this was particularly noticeable in
the specimens of majolica-ware, plated-ware, silks and
velvets, porcelain goods, cutlery and watches.
Beside the great and gorgeous collection in the
French Court, and almost eclipsed by it, came the
modest Swiss exhibits, which however, in point of excel
lence of finish and lowness of price, could challenge
comparison with those of any other section. They con
sisted of watches, musical boxes, mathematical and
surgical instruments,, clock materials, tools, lace curtains,
splendid wood carvings, textile fabrics, straw plaitings,
and school apparatus, the latter showing what a high
standard of education prevails in the little Republic.
Belgium came next in order, and its exhibits
evidenced the substantial prosperity that exists in that
country, and the high position it occupies amongst
industrial countries, in many departments of manufacture.
l86 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
The principal articles exhibited were samples of iron
and steel manufactures ; but there was, in addition, a
great display of the celebrated Brussels and Mechlin
laces, of woollens and linens, carpets, silk embroideries,
marble mantel-pieces, and numerous other exhibits, all
of high finish and excellent design. A beautifully carved
pulpit and canopy had many admirers, and was the
piece de resistance in this court.
Brazil, which next claimed attention, seemed to have
made a great effort to show a worthy display at this
World's Fair ; and had erected a most gorgeous pavilion,
resplendent in all the colours of the rainbow, in which
to display its various exhibits. These represented the
products of the empire over which Dom Pedro reigns,
and consisted principally of numerous samples of coffee,
rice, sarsaparilla, cocoa, ginger, various barks, woods,
and specimens of gold and ivory, both manufactured
and otherwise. The remaining space in the court was
rilled out with stuffed birds, artificial flowers, and many
articles of native Indian manufacture.
The small Court of the Netherlands, which was in
close proximity to that of its neighbour, Belgium, was
crowded with a heterogeneous collection of articles, both
of use and luxury ; and many hours were requisite,
properly to note and admire its many excellent exhibits.
These were of the most varied description, and con
sisted in part of rich Delft carpets, woollens of beautifully
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 187
soft texture, silk fabrics, jute manufactures ; tin, iron,
and wooden ware ; elegant screens, papier-mache
articles, samples of woods and metals ; and number
less articles, representing various other industries. A
conspicuous feature in this section was the collection
exhibited by the Artizans' School of Rotterdam, an
institution founded in 1869 for lads of twelve to fifteen
to be "practically and theoretically trained to become
clever artizans."
The Mexican display was specially remarkable for
exhibits representing the ancient Aztec civilization.
Next to the Mexican, came the grand display of the
United States, which occupied more than one-fourth of
the floor-space in the main building, and was arranged on
both sides of the main avenue. The exhibits comprised
an infinity of articles, especially of those that tend to
economize labour and time, and therefore, to reduce the
cost of production. They showed how closely the States
are treading on Great Britain's heels, in certain depart
ments of manufacture ; and with what right, they can
now claim a foremost place amongst the great industrial
and producing nations of the world. A large amount of
space seems to have been allotted to each individual
exhibitor, and unlike the British exhibits, a great deal of
attention appears to have been devoted to the embellish
ment of the articles displayed ; so that they had generally
a more attractive appearance. They were in fact
1 88 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
essentially exhibition goods, whereas the British exhibits,
with few exceptions, seemed to be samples of the ordinary
manufactures of the exhibitors. Never before has the
multiplicity of American products, and the skill, ingenuity,
and taste of her artizans, been so prominently exhibited ;
and it appeared to me, that nothing but the high price of
many of the commodities, will preclude them from success
fully competing in the markets of the world. The quantity
and bulk of the various exhibits called the attention to
them of those visitors who might otherwise have passed
them unnoticed ; such was the case with the cotton goods.
There were numerous exhibits of plated-ware, and although
they could not be compared to the splendid collection
exhibited by Elkington in the British section ; they were
yet noteworthy, for many improvements introduced. A
great display was made of chandeliers and gasaliers of
all description, some of most novel construction. The
exhibits generally, comprised samples of all classes of
manufactures, prominent amongst which, might be seen
tweeds, prints, silk thread, paper, pianos, brass fittings,
books, stationery, cutlery and edge tools, locks, fittings,
crystal lustres, glassware, and a diversity of other articles.
The tweeds though very good did not to my mind
favourably compare with the Canadian. In glassware
and more especially cut glassware the American exhibits
did not come up by a long way to those of other
countries.
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 189
Adjoining the United States Court, was that of Ger
many, which, compared with the large amount of space
occupied by Great Britain, France, and the United States,
was very small in size. It seemed to be the general
opinion that the display in it, though very excellent in its
way, was yet inadequate to give a correct idea of the high
position occupied by the German Empire as a manufac
turing country. The exhibits in this section, if not
numerous, were however of a high degree of excellence,
and could only have been the products of great skill,
combined with artistic taste. They comprised samples
of woollen fabrics, velveteens, beautiful glass-ware,
porcelain-ware, brass musical instruments, pianos, sur
gical instruments, drugs, bronzes, gildings, and toys of
ingenious construction, capable of raising the youthful
heart into the seventh heaven of delight. All these
exhibits displayed fine workmanship and finish, and a
decided pre-eminence in many of the classes. The
bronzes compared very favourably with those of their
great rival France, but, representing as they for the most
part did, the public men of the Empire ; there was not
the same room for the display of those beautiful designs, in
which the French excel, and by means of which, they
have obtained such an acknowledged superiority in the
fabrication of these goods.
Next to the German came the Austro-Hungarian
Department, which contained a most attractive collection
I QO TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
of exquisite articles in Bohemian glass, many of which
might easily have been mistaken for Venetian manufac
ture ; stained glass for windows, beautifully enamelled
-glassware, furniture, wood-carvings, amber goods, elegantly
carved meerschaum pipes, carpets, woollens, real and
imitation jewellery ; and a varied assortment of fancy
goods of all descriptions, forming a display, that was very
creditable to the great country that produced it.
The Russian Court, that was next in order, occupied
but a small amount of space, and that was not very well
filled. The articles exhibited however, proved that
Russia is making great strides in its manufactures.
Amongst a host of other things, some silver-work in
repousse was exhibited, of great taste and novelty, the
various designs being original, and displaying a distinctive
national character.
The Spanish Section, the one next to the Russian, was
-entered from the transept, through a large and very elabo
rate entrance, constructed in three arches, in imitation of
pink granite, with bronze facings, draped with yellow and
crimson silk hangings. This was surmounted by a design,
representing Spain drawing back a curtain and revealing
to the assembled nations the mountains and green valleys
of the American Continent. Over one archway was a
picture of Columbus ; over the other one of Isabella III.
From the central arch hung a magnificent gothic candela
brum of oxydised silver and brass, contributed by King
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 191
Alfonso. There were also other contributions from the
Royal Collection, including carved woods inlaid with
gold, splendid tapestries, china and porcelain vases, and
other articles of rare beauty. An exquisitely carved side
board by Forzano Bros, was a prominent exhibit in this
section. The Azulejos, tiles resembling Italian mosaics,
introduced into Spain by the Moors, were very much
admired. The remaining exhibits were principally com
posed of damasks woven in arabesques, silks, magnificent
specimens of ladies' hosiery, and numerous other equally
beautiful articles de luxe.
The Egyptian Court had also a very ornate front to the
main avenue, covered with representations of Egyptian
architecture and bearing the appropriate inscription
" The oldest of the Nations sends Soudan, the morning
greeting to the youngest." In the manufactures of modern
date, a great display was made of gold embroidered
cloths, of richly decorated saddles, furniture inlaid with
ivory and mother-of-pearl, samples of paper, splendid
wood and metal carvings, woods, cotton and silk, both in
the raw and manufactured states ; together with some
excellent specimens of printing in Arabic, Coptic, and
Hieroglyphic characters.
The most interesting portion of the collection was,
however, the fragments of the ancient monuments, and
the antiques, that may have dated from before the pyra
mids. Amongst the many noteworthy objects in this
IQ2 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
section, may be mentioned, three crystal lamps inlaid
with gold, from the great Mosque at Cairo, which are
supposed to have an almost fabulous value ; the art of
making them being amongst those things that exist no
longer.
Turkey made but a very poor show, doubtless in con
sequence of its political troubles, but an attempt was
made to cover the paucity of the display by the erection
of a gorgeous front.
Denmark made a very creditable display, principally of
works in terra-cotta, wood carvings, furniture, silver work,
and furs. This section well merited a few hours' close
inspection, as the various articles exhibited, were of excel
lent quality ; and the designs had an individuality about
them, very interesting to those accustomed to the better-
known manufactures of the great industrial nations.
Japan next came with a characteristic display of vases,
and other ornaments in elaborately carved bronze and
painted china \ of textile fabrics, and of numerous articles in
lacquerwork ; all representing the skill, and delicate mani
pulation of this ingenious people, and their shrewdness as
men of business; for all their exhibits had a ticket
attached giving the price in plain figures.
The Chinese did not appear to have taken as much
trouble with their collection, as their neighbours, the
Japanese had done, and their display was consequently
not so good. It consisted of articles characteristic of
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 193
Chinese manufactures, as silks, embroideries, painted
screens, chinaware, ivory and other carvings, lacquerwork,
papier-mache goods, articles made of soap-stone, &c.
Chili had a modest collection of minerals, native furs,,
skins, stuffed wild animals, and interesting relics of the
Indian aborigines.
The small sections of the Argentine Republic, Peru,,
and the Orange Free State, were well stored with the
various products of those countries.
We have now completed the circuit of the Main-build
ing, but it is impossible, that a reader, from this cursory
and brief description of its contents, could form a proper
conception of the surpassing beauty and dazzling nature
of this enormous exhibition. There are so many other
buildings connected with this World's Fair to be visited,,
that we must at once proceed to the
MACHINERY HALL.
This structure might almost be called a continuation
of the main building, having only been separated from it,
by a small square, laid out in walks, and planted with
ornamental shrubs and plants. The building consisted
of a main hall 1,402 feet long and 360 feet wide ; together
with an annexe on the south side. Its cost of construc
tion was $700,000. The Main-building and Machinery
Hall together, presented a frontage of three-quarters of a
mile to the grand avenue.
14
IQ4 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
The display in Machinery Hall was perhaps the most
instructive and entertaining part of the whole exhibition ;
for almost every machine used in the different manufac
tures was here to be seen in operation.
This section seemed to have the greatest attraction for
visitors, and it was at all times difficult to approach the
most interesting of the machines, on account of the
crowds of people that always surrounded them. Standing
in the centre of the vast collection, was the great Corliss
Engine, that generated the motive power, by which all
the machinery in the hall was set in motion.
Some idea of the magnitude of this enormous piece of
machinery may be gathered from the fact, that it rose to
a height of 40 feet above the floor ; that its gear-wheel
was 30 feet in diameter, and 56 tons in weight ; and that
it could work up to 1,400 horse power. In spite of its
great size, this engine ran with great smoothness, and
almost merited the rhapsodies into which American
writers seemed to fall, when describing it.
Though the greater portion of the grand display in
Machinery Hall belonged to the United States; yet
Great Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Belgium, Den
mark, Sweden, and Italy were all more or less repre
sented.
What seemed to strike every visitor to this section, was
the high finish of the machines of American manufacture ;
the various makers having gone to great expense in
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 195
turning them out, resplendent in polished nickle and
brass.
It will only be possible to enumerate briefly those
machines that were the most interesting, and that attracted
the most attention.
The Walter Press exhibited by the proprietors of the
London Times newspaper, which was in operation,
printing off copies of the New York Herald, was much
admired ; as were also several printing machines of
American design and construction.
There were numerous exhibits of locomotives of great
power and fine finish; enormous mining machinery;
pumps of all kinds, the centrifugal especially being very
excellent ; blowers of such power, that they had to be
cautiously approached ; together with all the various
machinery connected with wood-working, brick-making,
barrel-making, ship-building, nail-making, watch-making,
cork-cutting, shingle-splitting, &c. There were also im
proved fire-engines and escapes, dredges and apparatus
for saving life at sea. In one machine exhibited, the
attempt had been made to supersede steam as a motive
power ; and though the new agent is a trifle more costly,
still it has so many other advantages to counterbalance
that one disadvantage, that it may come into general use
for many purposes. The motive power is gas, supplied
from an ordinary burner, fixed near the bottom of the
cylinder. Gas and air being admitted under the piston,
196 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
and exploded ; the sudden expansion of the gas drives up
the piston rapidly, and by the time it has reached the end
of its stroke, the temperature falls, and condensation
produces a partial vacuum under the piston ; and the
downward stroke is effected by the pressure of the
external atmosphere. This is a German invention, and
the advantages claimed for it are, that no boiler or furnace
is requisite ; that it can be set in motion as soon as
wanted, and stopped almost instantaneously ; and that no
fuel is wasted when the machine comes to a standstill.
The Brayton hydro-carbon engine is an American
invention, in which a mixture of vapourized oil and water
is used, to produce the same effect, as in the one above
described.
The exhibitors of a safe almost circular in form, claimed
for it greater strength to resist fire and thieves, than the
safes of ordinary square shape. There was also one of
the chronometer safes shown ; these have two chrono
meters affixed to the door, and in case one might go
wrong, both are set to the time at which it is desired the
door should be open. Until that time arrives, the door is
firmly closed, and cannot by any means be opened.
A very interesting machine was one for manufacturing
envelopes, which had only to be fed with paper and gum,
and would discharge the envelopes finished, and counted
into packets at the rate of 7,200 per hour. This machine
being open, the operation of envelope-making could be
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 197
seen in all its Stages ; and there was generally an admiring
crowd surrounding it.
There was an enormous display of weaving machinery,
and the processes of manufacture of tweeds, carpets,
cotton and woollen goods, could be seen in all the
stages from the raw material to the finished product. In
this department an exhibitor from Brazil displayed the
process of silk manufacture, from winding the silk off the
cocoon, to its being woven into beautiful articles of
every-day use. Here also was shown a new invention
for weaving horsehair, by which it is claimed the present
cost of production is reduced one-third.
A number of rock-drilling machines for quarrying, and
tunnelling purposes were always to be seen in operation,
and the ease with which they pierced the hardest masses
of stone was wonderful. In close proximity were
machines for making gas in houses distant from a town,
and which would be very useful for up-country districts
in Australia. The well is filled with oil, and the
machine wound up, like a clock ; when it will go on
producing gas for some time without heat of any kind
being used.
Nail-making machines were in great profusion. One
that turned out 400 tacks per minute, was especially
admired, as it was only requisite to feed it occasionally
with a long iron rod. An india-rubber mill, where
several men were engaged in manufacturing goloshes,
198 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
was an interesting machine, showing every stage of
manufacture, from the crude material, as it exudes from
the tree, to the highly finished articles of commerce.
Some barrels, tubs, and buckets, made out of paper
attracted much attention, and seemed very serviceable
looking articles ; the barrels especially, though without
hoops, and of straighter shape than is usual, were con
sidered quite as strong as, and more economical than
those made from hickory-wood. They are light in
weight, cannot be broken, and hold fluids as perfectly
as vessels of clay or metal.
A pretty little instrument, and one that may in time
become a necessity in every counting-house, was the
electrical pen, by the use of which the cost of
lithography may be saved.
This pen is very simple in its construction, being
made like a pencil-case, a needle taking the place of the
lead ; this is connected with a small galvanic battery,
which causes a wheel on the top of the pen to revolve
and move the needle up and down, at the rate of
several thousand strokes a minute. As this pen is moved
along the paper, the needle punctures the writing, and
forms what is called the " proof," which is then put in a
small press, sold with the electrical pen, and by passing
the roller over it, the requisite number of copies are made,
which look as if they had been lithographed. For
printing price-currents, circulars, &c., this instrument
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 199
will, I imagine, in time come into use ; its cost at
present is *], but this will, doubtless, be reduced when
the demand for it increases. Another adaptation of
electricity was to the sewing machine, which seemed to
me likely also to come into general use. A parlour
scroll- saw for cutting out wood and other materials,
worked in the same manner as a sewing-machine, is an
ingenious little machine. There were also shown
stationary engines, worked by petroleum, at a cost of a
few half-pence per hour. A very useful machine, and
one that might advantageously be introduced into the
colonies, was one for removing the burr from wool,
without destroying the staple.
Another remarkably ingenious little instrument, was
one intended to supersede the use of the pen. This was
worked by pressing various keys, in the same manner
as playing on a piano. A lady, who showed the
working of this instrument, had attained such proficiency,
that she could print at the rate of ninety words a minute.
A handy machine was one that weighs and packs
parcels of flours, sugars, or spices : this would be very
useful to grocers and other tradesmen. A patent cleat
was exhibited, that renders unnecessary the holding of the
corner of the sail, and that removes the danger that may
arise from having the sheet belayed. This will prove a
great boon to yachtsmen and others. The Covel saw-
sharpener, that requires no supervision, is a machine that
200 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
will most probably come into general use. The list of
these useful machines might be continued at great length
were it not that there is yet much more to be seen and
commented upon.
Before leaving Machinery Hall, it may be well to know
the opinion of American critics, on the relative merits of
the English and American exhibits, in this section. Eng
land they acknowledge to excel the States in armour-
plating ; there being no rolling-mill plants in the latter,
that could handle plates 21^ inches in thickness, such as
were exhibited in the British section. England is also
declared pre-eminent in " steam-hammers, road-steamers,
steam-rollers, portable engines, steam-ploughs, hydraulic
presses, marine engines, and mining engines of the Cor
nish pattern, sugar plant, and paper-making machinery."
America is considered first in the manufacture of " har
vesting, sewing, knitting, and hat-making machines ;
quartz and stone crushers, amalgamators, deep-well
borers, weighing scales, breech-loading small arms, and
special tools for the manufacture of articles made of
many pieces, by the means of templets and gauges,
the Enfield special machines made for the English
armoury, and the Mauser machines for the armoury
of Germany ; metallic fixed ammunition; watches
made by special machines to scale and pattern, with
interchangeable parts; wood-working tools and barrel
machinery ; wooden bridges, steam fire-engines, safes and
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 2OI
safe locks, hay and cotton presses, sodawater machines,
hotel and warehouse elevators, cheap good clocks, cast-
iron car-wheels, web printing and folding machines,
heating apparatus for houses, rubber goods, saws, and the
extensive substitution of belting for gear in transmitting
power." The two countries are supposed to divide
honours in the following articles : " Planers, lathes, slotting
and shaping machines, water-wheels, rotary pumps,
blowers, locomotives, and steam gauges."
Having now briefly enumerated the principal objects of
interest in Machinery Hall, we will proceed to another
portion of the Exhibition, the
MEMORIAL HALL.
This building, used as an Art gallery, was erected by
the State of Pennsylvania, at a cost of a million and a
half dollars ; and was undoubtedly the finest of the Exhi
bition buildings. As it was intended to be a permanent
addition to Fairmount Park, it is constructed throughout
of stone, brick, and iron, in the modern Renaissance style,
and is surmounted by a dome of iron and glass. It is 365
feet in length, 210 feet in width, and 150 feet high to the
top of the dome, from which rises a colossal figure of
Columbus. At the corners of the base of this dome stand
four large figures, representing the four quarters of the
globe ; whilst at the corners of the four pavilions are large
cast-iron eagles, with outstretched wings. The main
202 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
entrance consists of three arched doorways, opening into
a hall, and between these, are clusters of columns, termi
nating in emblematical designs, descriptive of science and
art. The doors are of iron, relieved by bronze panels,
displaying the coat of arms of each State of the Union.
Though not by any means a model of architectural
beauty, this building still forms a fitting memorial of
the Centenary of American Independence.
Passing from the Main building, or Machinery Hall, to
the Memorial Hall, which contained the exhibition of
paintings and statuary, the change from the grand display
in the two former, which quite overshadowed any previous
exhibition, to the paucity of the Art collection exhibited
in the latter, was very striking. It was not, that the
collection was small, for it covered an immense wall
space ; but there was a marked absence of works of high
art. Great Britain contributed some fine water-colour
paintings, and pictures by West, Lawrence, Gainsborough,
Turner, Maclise, Millais, Holman Hunt, Leighton, and
Frith. The latter's " Marriage of the Prince of Wales"
was very much admired, and always had a large crowd
around it. In the French department there were several
specimens of gobelin tapestry, the designs on which
included Maillard's "Penelope," Boucher's "Amynthe
and Sylvie," and Boucher's " Fishing." There were also
some paintings in this section of great merit, and the
collection altogether was very creditable.
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION.
The Spanish contribution was small, but included two
fine Murillos.
Germany had not a large collection, and the few
paintings exhibited did not particularly challenge admira
tion. All the pictures had not been hung at the time of
my visit, and this section would doubtless have assumed
a more imposing appearance later on.
Italy and Austria both contributed large collections,
but the same may be said of them, that has already been
remarked of the other national collections, viz., that there
was an absence of works of great merit.
The United States monopolized a large portion of the
space, but the specimens of high art were few in number.
The great picture, great on account of the enormous wall
space it covered, filling up, as it did, the whole of one end
of a large room, was Rothermel's "Battle of Gettysburg."
This large picture did not, however, reflect much credit
on American art. Two of the most prominent pictures in
this section were West's " Christ Rejected by the Jewish
People," and Pauwel's great allegorical painting of the
" New Republic."
The Swedish collection was a very unassuming one,
but contained one picture that attracted a great deal of
attention, on account of its excellent delineation of a
comical subject ; viz., two boys smoking for the first time.
The fidelity with which the feeling of nausea was depicted
on the boys' faces, was marvellous. The Australian art
204 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
exhibits were not shown in the Memorial Hall, but were
included in the general display made in the Main-building ;
in order to render the Australian show more effective.
AGRICULTURAL HALL.
Having "done" Memorial Hall and sufficiently
admired the art treasures there exhibited, we proceed to
the Agricultural Hall, which was built in Gothic form,
the interior resembling that of a Cathedral ; with a nave
820 feet in length, crossed by three transepts, each 540
feet long.
Some idea of the magnitude of the exhibition of
agricultural products and implements in this Hall, may
be formed, when it is remembered, that the exhibits
covered a space over ten acres in extent ; and that it
was necessary to traverse three miles of walks to inspect
them. It is only possible, without writing a volume on
the subject, briefly to summarize what was to be seen in
this department.
Great Britain and Ireland occupied only a small space,
but their exhibits were pre-eminent in their respective
classes. A great display was made of pickles, sauces,
mustard, cocoa, chocolate, essences, and aerated waters ;
also, what seemed more properly to belong to this
section; agricultural implements, edge tools, mill
machinery, farm engines, road steamers, steam rollers, &c.
A machine much admired was one, that, with the aid
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 205
of two men, could sack, dry, and dress 100 bushels of
wheat, or other grain, in one hour. Another enables one
man to separate fifty bushels of wheat or oats, from any
other grain, in the same time.
The Canadians exhibited a splendid assortment of
ploughs, mowers, threshing machines, churns, chaffcutters
and numerous other agricultural machines, of excellent
quality; and showed conclusively, that in this depart
ment of manufacture, they are quite able to hold their
own against their neighbours in the United States,
assisted, as the latter are supposed to be, by a pro
tective tariff. It may be remarked, that in the
matter of agricultural implements, Canada and the
United States monopolized nearly all the space in the
Hall. An excellent display was also made by Canada
of wool, wheat, prepared skins, ales and preserved fruits.
Germany was great in wines and beer, in tobacco and
cigars, in liqueurs and preserves ; and the section also
displayed a trophy composed of scythe blades and other
farm tools.
Venezuela made a great display of such products
as coffee, medicinal barks, samples of woods, starch,
soap and candles, cordials and fruits.
Brazil which was in close proximity, exhibited within
its handsome enclosure walls, samples of seeds and
grasses, tobacco leaf, polished woods and liquid extracts.
This section contained a little pavilion, constructed
206 TRANS -PACIFIC SKETCHES.
entirely of cotton fibre, in which were displayed samples
of cotton seeds and plants.
Japan exhibited its teas, preserves, its numberless varie
ties of seeds, and curiously-made cane chairs.
The French exhibits had not all been arranged, and
they did not seem to give promise that the collection
would be a large one. As was to be expected the wines
of Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Champagne occupied a pro
minent position.
The Netherlands succeeded in producing an impression
of solid prosperity. The exhibits comprised grains,
spirits, beer and liqueurs, seeds, various preserved foods
and condiments, and numerous other exhibits, forming
together a collection, that worthily represented its agri
cultural products.
Sweden and Norway had arranged their products in a
very pleasing manner. They included samples of bottled
ale, polished woods, grain, coffee, preserved fish, arrack,
cod-liver oil ; together with sealskins and other furs. An
attractive exhibit was the figure of a Laplander enveloped
in costly furs sitting in a sledge, drawn by a reindeer.
The Norwegian exhibits consisted principally of a number
of aquaria, containing numerous specimens of fish, which
proved a great source of attraction to crowds. There was
in addition, a magnificent collection of nets, seines, rods
and tackle ; together with all the implements connected
with pisciculture.
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 207
Portugal was represented by a multiplicity of articles
amongst which were wines, oils, wool, silk, cork, etc.
Italy was conspicuous with its wines, and oils, macca-
roni and other food preparations ; and though the collec
tion generally was small, it was excellent of its kind.
Spain appeared to greater advantage in this depart
ment, than it had done in the Main-building; display
ing here fine samples of grains, seeds, fruits, timbers,
grasses, wines, oils, and other products of her teeming
soil ; illustrating how, with the blessings of peace, and the
help of skilled agriculturists, it might attain the first posi
tion amongst European nations for products of the soil.
All these various national collections, interesting as
they were, seemed only subsidiary to the colossal display
of the United States, which occupied nearly three-fourths
of all the space in the hall. Of the American collection
it may be said that, whilst many of the States of the Union
were but poorly represented, the whole exhibition col
lectively, was such, as to give a visitor a better idea of the
vastness of American resources, than any other portion of
the great World's Fair. The collection consisted of samples
of the products of all the various climates and soils, from
Maine to Louisiana, and from Florida to Oregon, the limits
of the enormous territory in the possession of the United
States ; and in its range comprised the grain, wine, wool,
and precious metals of California, and the raw and
manufactured tobacco, sugar, rice, and cotton of the
208 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
Southern States. The State of Oregon displayed
splendid specimens of merino and other wools, wheat
and barley, oats, Indian corn, and linseed. The exhibits
representing the agricultural products of most of the
other States bore a strong family likeness to one another,
and consisted for the most part of wheat, Indian corn,
and other grains, woods, seeds, &c. Each State, how
ever, exhibited in addition something peculiarly its own,
thus Kentucky made a feature of its whiskies, and
Minnesota was to the fore with a magnificent assortment
of grains, representing its annual yield of thirty millions
of bushels. The display of timbers from Delaware and
Indiana was most imposing ; the former having exhibited
thirty-eight varieties, and the latter forty-three.
Exhibits of tinned fruits and vegetables were most
numerous, and proved how rapidly this species of pre
served food is coming into general consumption. The
tinned fruits and vegetables only require warming, and
thus a wholesome food is made available during the
winter as well as the summer months.
One of the great features of this section was the
mammoth grape-vine, from California, which in the last
year or two showed signs of rapid decay, and was con
sequently dug up, and the trunk and principal limbs sent
to the Centennial Show. The trunk is the thickness of
a man's body, and the produce of the vine in one season
was 7,500 bunches of grapes, of an estimated total
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 209
weight of over five tons. This vine was supposed to be
over fifty years old, and it is satisfactory to know that it
has left offspring ; one of which, though only sixteen
years of age, is already a foot in diameter near the
ground and covers with its branches an area of 10,000
feet.
In addition to these, were the thousand and one
articles belonging to no State in particular, prominent
amongst which were to be seen sugar-coated hams, little
temples formed of confectionery, containing samples
of the candies so dear to the American heart ; biscuits,
honey, chocolate, tinned fruits, starch, maizena, canned
and dried fruits, tea and coffee, fertilizers of all kinds,
hickory-wood barrels, and indiarubber in its raw and
manufactured states.
This list gives but a very imperfect idea of the endless
variety of articles exhibited in this department ; and still
no mention has been made of the agricultural machinery,
which constituted the principal part of the display.
The most prominent of these exhibits comprised
ploughs, harrows, winnowers, potato-diggers, horse-rakes,
threshing-machines, hay-presses, stump-extractors, hay
and chaff-cutters, lawn-mowers, fruit-drying machines,
churns, reapers and binders, seed-sowers, maize-shellers,
fruit and potato-parers, cherry-stoners, and fruit-preserving
utensils ; each of which merits a special description for
its ingenious construction, and qualities as a labour-saver
IS
210 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
and time-economizer; by means of which the cost of
production is so much lessened.
There is yet so much to be seen, that, we must leave
the Agricultural Hall, with this brief description of its
contents, and proceed to the
HORTICULTURAL HALL
which was in close proximity. This is intended to be
a permanent building, and is consequently more sub
stantial and ornate, than the temporary structures. It
is built in the Moorish style, with fine frescoes ; and in
its warmth of colouring, presents a great contrast to the
sober hues of the Memorial Hall. It is constructed
principally of iron and glass, is 383 feet in length, 193
feet in width, and consists of a large conservatory, and
forcing-houses for young plants. The east and west
entrances are approached by flights of marble steps, in
the centre of each of which, stands a pretty little open
Kiosk. The conservatory is ornamented with several
fine fountains, and its flower-beds contain many thou
sand tulip and hyacinth bulbs, many of which were in
bloom at the time of my visit, and presented a lovely
appearance of rich colour. The horticultural collection
comprised specimens from all the zones; and though
scanty in its proportions, yet formed a most interesting
portion of the Exhibition. The flora of Australia was
poorly represented by a few palms, fig-trees, and
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 211
eucalypti. The great feature of the whole collection was
a specimen of Venus' fly-trap (Dionaea) which, with its
sensitive tentacles, seizes its prey, and holds it fast, to be
devoured at leisure. The fame of this rare carnivorous
plant spread rapidly, and thousands visited the horticul
tural building to see it.
SUBSIDIARY BUILDINGS.
The five buildings above described formed the principal
portion of the exhibition, but there were in addition
numerous smaller structures in the grounds, used for
special purposes.
One of these was the Women's Pavilion, a very
pleasing and commodious building, erected by the
Women of America at a cost of $30,000 collected by
subscription. This building contained a nave and
transept, each 192 feet long and was surmounted by a
cupola. Its special purpose was to contain exhibits of
female work only, and thus be a means of pointing out
occupations of usefulness and profit, adapted to women.
The collection in this building represented those pursuits,
for which women are specially adapted, as sculpture,
painting, literature, engraving, telegraphy, lithography,
and education. Articles of female attire, with the excep
tion of embroidery, lace and needlework, were excluded
from exhibition. In this department, the Royal Society
of Needlewomen, instituted, and presided over I believe,
212 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
by Her Majesty the Queen, exhibited some splendid
needlework, and tapestry. Those branches of education,
for which women are specially adapted, such as the
Kindergarten and object-teaching, were prominently
shown. A great attraction to this section were
looms, worked by women, employed in making carpets
and other delicate work. These were always surrounded
by an admiring crowd.
The Government Building was another of these
auxiliary structures, and in it were displayed exhibits
from the United States Treasury, War, Navy, and Interior
departments and from the Smithsonian Institute for the
purpose of " illustrating the administrative faculties of the
Government in time of peace, and its resources as a war
power ; and thereby serving to demonstrate the nature
of our institutions, and their adaptation to the wants of
the people." Here was to be seen the operation of
making rifles and ammunition ; here were cannon,
mounted and unmounted ; gun carriages, shot and shell ;
iron-plates and torpedoes ; equipments for land and sea
service ; models of bridges, forts and hospitals ; models
of war vessels and a thousand other exhibits representing
the department of marine survey, and the weather signal,
and lighthouse services. The Smithsonian Institute
displayed illustrations of the geology, mineralogy, forestry
and natural history of the States.
Photographic Hall and Brewers' Hall were also sub-
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 213
sidiary adjuncts to the Exhibition. The former was
partitioned inside to form seven galleries, for the hanging
of photographs, and the display of photographic
appliances. The latter was erected by persons con
nected with the brewing interest, to show the process of
manufacture, and the newest appliances used in the
trade.
In addition to these were also many smaller buildings,
erected by private enterprise, amongst which may be
enumerated, a very complete glassworks ; a pretty little
pavilion, in which were exhibited Singer's sewing ma
chines. Another contained coffins of so gorgeous a
nature, that one felt almost tempted to die in order to
occupy one of those grand receptacles. One was used as
a bakery ; another as a dairy ; and still another contained
exhibits of leather, boots and shoes. One of the most
interesting of these smaller buildings, was a little wooden
house, such as was used at the time of the Revolution,
filled with revolutionary relics, each article of furniture
possessing a history of its own. In this house also were
several men and women dressed in the costumes of that
period, and engaged in various occupations, the women
for the most part spinning with the old distaff. Another
interesting object was the Canadian log-house, composed
of all the different kinds of wood grown in the Dominion.
There were several model school-houses erected in the
grounds, one of the most perfect being the Swedish, which
214 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
was admirably adapted for the purpose intended, that of
a country school. A Turkish cafe had many visitors, as
also a Tunisian cafe, where a woman dressed in the
national garb, danced the scarf dance to the music (save
the mark !) of three outlandish looking instruments.
Each State of the Union had its special Commissioner's
house, and these were all different in design, and were
for the most part attractive buildings.
The British Commissioners had a large building, repre
senting a squire's house of the sixteenth century, which
with its tile roof, and big chimney stacks looked very
well. It was furnished in the style of that period, and
formed not the least interesting feature of the Exhibition.
The Japanese building was also very interesting, being
a fac-simile of the houses used by the Japanese middle
class. In its construction not a single nail had been
used, all the material having been dove-tailed and mor
tised, and fastened with wooden pins.
The great Centennial Fountain, erected by the Catholic
Total Abstinence Society, and intended to be a perma
nent ornament to the grounds, merits a few words. In
the midst of a large circular basin, stands a pile of rocks,
surmounted by a figure of Moses fifteen feet high, pointing
upwards, to show the source of the miracle just per
formed, in bringing out the water from the rocks, at the
stroke of his wand ; whilst the water gushing forth on all
sides falls into the basin. Four arms stretch out in the
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 215
form of a Maltese cross, terminating in four drinking
fountains, each crowned by a statue nine feet high,
representing Commodore Barry, the father of the
American Navy; Archbishop Carroll, the patriot priest
of the Revolution; Chas. Carroll, of Carrollton, the
Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence ;
and Father Mathew, the Apostle of Temperance, who,
with Chas. Buncombe, a Protestant minister, Richard
Dowden, a Unitarian philanthropist, and William Martin,
a Quaker, founded in Cork, in 1838, that society
which was destined in a few years to count its converts
by millions, and to spread its influence wherever the
English language was spoken. These statues are all of
marble ; and round the basin are seven medallions,
heads of Catholic soldiers and civilians who dis
tinguished themselves during the Revolution.
About the grounds are fine statues of Dr. Wotherspoon,
Wm. Penn, Columbus, and a huge granite monument
to the American army, weighing, it is said, thirty tons.
The bronze figure of Wm. Penn is thirty feet high,
and is only exceeded in size by two bronze statues in
the world. The statue erected by the brotherhood of
the B'nai Berith, typifying religious liberty, is worthy of
notice ; the figures and pedestal are twenty feet high,
and consist of a female figure representing American
Liberty protecting a youth slightly draped, holding in
one hand an urn containing the sacred flame.
21 6 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
The various exhibition buildings having been at some
distance from one another, communication was effected
by means of a narrow gauge railway, which ran round
the grounds, stopping at the principal buildings.
Before closing this chapter, I may mention that the
preparations made for the accommodation of the antici
pated great influx of visitors, were very complete, and
there was consequently no difficulty in obtaining apart
ments. In the hotel where I lived, the Globe, a
temporary building erected just outside the Exhibition
grounds, there was accommodation for 3,000 guests ;
and during the time of my stay, there were never more
than 1,500 in the house. There were also numerous
other large temporary hotels near the grounds, at all of
which accommodation could be had at the usual
American hotel rates. Private apartments could also be
obtained in the city at very moderate cost.
CHAPTER XV.
BALTIMORE, ANNAPOLIS, AND WASHINGTON.
JOURNEY to Baltimore Description of the City Monuments
Public Edifices Commerce Annapolis Senate Chamber
Naval College District of Columbia Decentralization The
City of Washington Its Appearance The Capitol Ameri
can Speakers compared with English White House
Treasury Patent Office Other Public Buildings National
Memorial Smithsonian Institute Corcoran Gallery of Art
Howard University.
AFTER having spent a couple of weeks in Philadelphia,
I was soon conveyed by rail to Baltimore, the chief city
of Maryland, and in population and commerce, one of
the principal in the United States. The scenery on the
route from Philadelphia to Baltimore is uninteresting,
although numerous well-cultivated farms, and many
thriving towns are passed. Amongst the latter may be
enumerated Chester, the oldest town in Pennsylvania, it
having been settled by some Swedes in 1643 j Wilming
ton, the capital of the State of Delaware with a population
of over 30,000, and the seat of many important industries;
and Newark, a pretty little place, containing the well-
known Delaware College. Shortly after leaving the latter
place, the train crosses the celebrated Mason and
Dixon's line, so long the boundary between the Northern
2l8 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
and Southern States. At Havre de Grace we crossed the
beautiful Susquehanna River, with its numerous pretty
islands, on a bridge nearly a mile in length. This has
been erected in place of the one destroyed by the
Confederate soldiers in the late Civil War, for the
purpose of cutting off the Federal communication with
Washington.
Baltimore is situated on the Patapsco River, about
fourteen miles from the entrance to Chesapeake Bay ; its
harbour is very capacious, and consists of an inner and
outer basin, protected by Fort McHenry. The city is
very much like a large English provincial town in
appearance, and cannot by any means be called pretty ;
the streets being narrow, and closely built upon ; but it is
one of the cleanest towns in America. The inhabitants,
who pride themselves upon being the handsomest people
in the States, are quiet and orderly : and the town
generally has a more homely appearance than is usually
the case with American cities. Altogether I would as
soon live in Baltimore, as in any town in the United States.
Baltimore is sometimes called the " Monumental City;"
why, it is difficult to imagine ; because it only possesses
three Monuments, which are however very fine. The
Washington Memorial is a Doric shaft 176 feet in height,
resting on a huge pedestal, and supporting a colossal
statue of Washington ; it forms a very imposing landmark.
Battle Monument, erected to the memory of those, who
BALTIMORE. 219
fell in defending the city in 1814, when attacked by the
British, is also a fine column in the form of a Roman
Fasces, surmounted by a female figure representing
Baltimore, the base being in the form of an Egyptian
temple. There is also a fine statue erected in honor of
Thomas Wildey, the founder in the States of the order
of Odd Fellows.
The principal edifice in the city is the new City Hall,
one of the finest municipal buildings in the country. It
is built entirely of white marble, in the composite style,
surmounted by an immense dome; but it stands in a
narrow street, where its fine proportions are not seen to
advantage. The Exchange is a fine building, having on
its two facades colonnades of six Ionic columns, the
shafts of which are single blocks of marble of admirable
workmanship. It is crowned by a large cupola, beau
tifully frescoed in the interior, and contains a fine
reading-room. In this building are the Post Office, the
Custom House and the Merchants' Bank. The Balti
more Athenaeum is a fine institution, with a library of
26,000 volumes. The Peabody Institute is a fine white
marble building erected by the late George Peabody the
well-known philanthropist; it contains a free library of
56,000 books, and in connection with it, is an Academy
of Arts.
The Catholic Cathedral is a stately edifice of granite,
and contains two excellent paintings, "the Descent
220 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
from the Cross," presented by Louis XVI., and "St.
Louis burying his officers and soldiers slain before
Tunis," the gift of Charles X. There are numerous
other fine church edifices, foremost amongst which may
be enumerated Grace Church, Christ Church, Emanuel
Church, St. Paul's and St. Peter's, all of which are Episcopal.
The First Presbyterian is an elaborate building and the
Unitarian Church is also a handsome and very unique
structure.
There are many Educational and Charitable institu
tions in the city, some of them possessing fine buildings,
and being of a very high order ; in fact, in this respect,
Baltimore is better provided than most of the. other large
American towns.
The population of Baltimore is over 300,000, and its
commerce is very important; it being a large port of
export to Europe for tobacco, cotton, petroleum, bacon,
dairy produce, &c. It also contains large smelting
works, and is the centre from which the rich copper
mines of Lake Superior are worked. Its industries
-consist of ironworks, rolling-mills, nail factories, locomo
tive works, and cotton factories ; and its tanning trade is
also large, it being computed, that half a million of hides
are annually tanned and exported to New England. The
tinning of oysters, fruits, and vegetables, is carried on
very extensively ; the annual value of this industry being
estimated at a million sterling.
ANNAPOLIS. 221
I availed myself of an opportunity that offered to pro
ceed down the Patapsco River, and Chesapeake Bay, to
visit Annapolis the capital of Maryland. The view of
Baltimore from the river is very picturesque, and the trip
down the Bay is most pleasant. Whilst at Annapolis,
I visited the Senate Chamber in the State House, memo
rable for being the room, in which Washington resigned
his commission as Commander-in-Chief of the forces, into
the hands of Congress ; after the objects of the Revolution
had been attained. It contains a fine painting commem
orating this scene ; and Washington's address, and the
reply of Congress, are also to be seen. The principal
Naval College of the United States is at Annapolis ; the
buildings, situated in extensive grounds, seem to be
excellently well adapted for the purpose, and the internal
arrangements are said to be very good. In addition to
an ordinary wooden training-ship, there is an iron Monitor
in connection with the College ; so that the cadets are
practically trained in the management of that class of war
vessel.
Returning to Baltimore, I took train for Washington,
the political metropolis of the Republic. Washington
is situated on the north bank of the Potomac River,
within an area of ten square miles, reserved for the Capital,
in the District of Columbia. This Federal District of
Columbia contains about sixty square miles, its chief cities
being Washington, the capital of the Union, and George-
222 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
town. The object of making a Federal district, in which
to place the capital of the country, was, to prevent any
one State from exercising undue influence, by having the
metropolis within its jurisdiction. The old law-makers of
the Republic, in its early days, seem to have regarded this
point as very essential to the common weal : and jealously
watched that no one State gained an ascendancy over
the others, in the Councils of the country. They had
also in view the dangers of centralization, and in every
case, second-rate towns were made the political capitals
of the different States ; so that, at the present time, it is
seldom the capital of the State is at the same time its
chief city.
It is a singular anomaly, that Washington, the centre as
it were of a purely democratic republic, has neither part
nor lot in the authority to which it is subject. It sends
no member to Congress, being in this respect less
favourably situated than the Territories, which do return
delegates to speak, if not to vote. The District of
Columbia, in short, has taxation without representation.
The city of Washington, originally designed by A.
Ellicott, during the presidency of Washington, who by
the way wished it to be called " The Federal City," was
laid out on a very grand scale, as it was anticipated that
it would become an immense metropolis. This has,
however, not proved the case, as the city has no com
mercial importance : it has consequently a ridiculously
WASHINGTON. 223
straggling appearance, and in it, palaces alternate with
buildings that may comparatively be termed shanties.
It is built on the rectangular parallelogrammic plan so
common in America. The streets are all wide, and
shaded by fine trees, and are divided into numbered
streets, lettered streets, and avenues : thus, First, Second,
and Third streets are crossed at right angles by A, B,
and C streets ; whilst the avenues, named after the
different States of the Union, form the main arteries of
the city. The principal of these is Pennsylvania
Avenue, especially that portion which extends from the
White House to the Capitol, and in it are situated most
of the public buildings ; whilst the best retail establish
ments are in Seventh street. The city contains a
population of about 110,000 inhabitants; but this
number is much increased during the sessions of
Congress, when it swarms with political agents, needy
office-seekers, and general hangers-on.
The great feature however, of Washington, is its public
buildings, foremost among which, stands the grand
Capitol, one of the largest, and of its kind perhaps the
finest edifice in the world. It crowns the summit of
Capitol Hill, and consists of a main or central building,
352 feet long, and 121 feet deep, and two wings each
238 feet by 140 feet, covering together 3^ acres of
ground. It may be said to be three distinct Grecian
temples, each having a rich Corinthian portico, the
224 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
centre one being surmounted by an immense dome,
which altogether dwarfs its noble proportions, and which
though painted to resemble marble, is constructed
of iron. The central building is constructed of light
yellow freestone painted white ; the two extensions are
of pure white marble, and the general appearance is
severely classic, although it has a great fault, inasmuch
as it fronts up hill, and its principal fagade is turned away
from the City. It stands within some thirty acres of
grounds, beautifully laid out, and adorned with statuary ;
and in front of the building stands Greenough's colossal
statue of Washington. On either side of the entrance
are large figures of Peace and War ; and over the door
way is a basso-relievo representing Fame and Peace, in
the act of crowning Washington with laurel. The
Rotunda is the most striking feature of the interior of
the Capitol ; it contains eight large, though they cannot
be called fine pictures, illustrating American history, for
they possess little artistic merit. They consist of the
"Declaration of Independence," "the Surrender of
General Burgoyne," " the Surrender of Lord Cornwallis,"
" Washington resigning his Commission," " the Landing
of Columbus," " the Discovery of the Mississippi by De
Soto/' " the Baptism of Pocahontas,' ; and " the Embarka
tion of the Pilgrim Fathers." There are also alto-relievos
representing "Penn's Treaty with the Indians," "the
Landing of the "Pilgrims at Plymouth," "the Conflict of
WASHINGTON. 225
Daniel Boone with the Indians," and "the rescue of
Captain John Smith by Pocahontas." Over this rotunda,
the dome rises to a height of 250 feet, and is beautifully
frescoed with sixty-three figures, so large, that they look
life-size when viewed from the floor. The design is the
figure of Washington, sitting between the Goddesses of
Liberty and Victory ; below are the original thirteen
States holding up a banner inscribed with the national
motto " E pluribus unum" and surrounded by six
allegorical groups representing War, Agriculture, Me
chanics, Commerce, the Navy, and Science. In the
latter group Franklin, Fulton and Walter occupy pro
minent positions.
The old Hall of Representatives, now used as a
National Hall of Statuary, is semi-circular in form ; the
entablature being supported upon twenty-four columns,
and the ceiling painted in imitation of that of the Par
thenon at Rome. Over one of the entrances, is a fine
figure of Liberty ; over the other, a statue representing
History in a winged car, the wheel of which forms a
clock. The Chamber of Representatives is a magnificent
hall, the ceiling being of ironwork, with forty-five stained-
glass panels, on which are painted the arms of the
States. On either side of the marble desk of the
Speaker are full-length portraits of Washington, and
Lafayette. The accommodation for the public is excellent,
but like the House of Commons at Westminster, the
16
226 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
acoustic properties are not good. The Speaker's room,
immediately behind his desk, is a richly-decorated
apartment.
The Senate Chamber is somewhat smaller than the Hall
of Representatives ; it has spacious galleries for visitors,
reached by fine marble staircases, which are amongst
the most striking of the internal architectural features
of the Capitol. Other fine chambers are the President's,
and Vice-President's rooms ; the Reception-room, and
the Senate Post-Office ; and especially the Marble-
room, which is particularly chaste and rich in its deco
rations.
The Chamber occupied by the Supreme Court is very
fine, and contains some beautiful marble Ionic columns.
The Judges when presiding wear black gowns, but
barristers address the Court in their ordinary dress. The
Law Library, in connection with the Court, contains
30,000 volumes. The Library of Congress, the largest
in America, numbers 300,000 volumes.
I was fortunate in witnessing a sitting of Congress, and
must say that although I heard some of the leading
Senators and Congressmen speak, I cannot say I was
particularly impressed by their eloquence. They do not
appear to me to speak in the quiet undemonstrative
manner, that carries with it weight and conviction, but
have a jerky style, use very strong expressions to describe
very ordinary events, and in consequence of the habit
WASHINGTON. 22/
that generally prevails of raising the voice at the end of
a sentence, have a sing-song manner that is not pleasant.
They seem however to possess a ready flow of words,
such as goes by the generic term of " gift of the gab."
I would say, that a comparison between the British
Parliament, and the Congress of the United States, would
show that, although the former is pre-eminent in the
number of first-class speakers ; the latter would have a
better average of general debating power. There seems,
however, to be a want of dignity in the deliberations of
the two Houses of Congress, that must be very apparent
to a stranger. The lobbies just outside the Chambers, in
which the two branches of the Legislature are sitting, with
open doors, are noisy with the sound of people walking
about, speaking in loud and excited tones, and lobbying
members as they leave the Chamber.
The White House, the residence of the President, is
built of freestone, and painted white ; and though what
would be considered a fine mansion for a private gentle
man, is too unpretentious in my opinion to be the state
residence of the Head of the Republic. The front is
very plain, relieved only by a portico supported on ten
Ionic columns. The state-rooms are handsome, but
they are not very commodious, and must be inconve
niently crowded when state receptions are held in them.
The Treasury is a colossal building of white granite,
and is the best adapted for the purpose, perhaps, of any
228 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
in the world. The east front has an unbroken Ionic
colonnade 342 feet in length, modelled after that of the
Temple of Minerva, at Athens. Extensive additions to
the building have been made in harmony with the gene
ral design, and it is altogether 582 feet long and 300 feet
wide, and cost six millions of dollars ; the interior is
ornamented with combinations of different kinds of
marble, and is very chaste in appearance.
The Patent Office, which also contains the Depart
ment of the Interior, is undoubtedly the finest of all the
public buildings in Washington. It is built of marble,
in severe and massive Doric style, with a grand portico
on each of its four facades ; that on F street . is reached
by a broad flight of steps, and consists of sixteen Doric
columns of immense size, supporting a classic pediment.
The model-room consists of four large halls, with a
united length of nearly a quarter of a mile, and is filled
with cases containing about 1 20,000 models, representing
inventions in every branch of mechanical art, for which
patents have been granted. A large hall in this building
contains a collection of revolutionary relics, amongst
which are Benjamin Franklin's printing-press, and many
personal souvenirs of Washington.
The enormous building for the State, War, and Navy
Departments is now nearly completed, the State Depart
ment having already moved in. It is built of granite,
and exceeds in size even the great Treasury building,
WASHINGTON. 229
being 567 feet long, 342 feet wide, four storeys high,
with lofty mansard roof.
The General Post Office is an imposing edifice of
white marble, in the modern Corinthian style, and in
general harmony with the other public buildings. It
seems strange, however, that such a large building
should be requisite for a city without any commercial
importance, even though it be the metropolis.
The Department of Agriculture is a handsome brick
building in the Renaissance style, three storeys high
with a mansard roof, and contains a library, a museum
of agriculture, a herbarium with 25,000 varieties of
plants, and an entomological museum. The flower
garden in front of the main building is a fine sight when
in bloom. Connected with this Department are also an
arboretum, experimental gardens and plant houses.
Washington possesses fine equestrian statues of
Generals Washington, Scott and Jackson ; and in
addition to these, there has been for several years in
course of construction, a National Memorial to Washing
ton, which in its less than half finished state, is an
ugly object at best, and spoils many otherwise pretty
views. It is intended to represent an Egyptian obelisk,
but as it is being built of small stones will never be
handsome, if it ever be completed. Of this however,
there seems much doubt, as there is a difficulty in
collecting the requisite funds ; and it is now suggested to
230 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
demolish the portion already erected, and with the
material to construct an Arc de Triomphe. This would
certainly be advisable in the interests of good taste, but
would be a humiliating end to the National Memorial to
the national hero.
The Smithsonian Institute is a beautiful building of
red sandstone in the Norman style, with many pretty
towers. It was founded by James Smithson, an English
man, in 1786, who bequeathed his large fortune for the
purpose of erecting a building at Washington to be
called the Smithsonian Institute, for " the increase and
diffusion of knowledge amongst men." Regarding this
bequest as a benefit for mankind in general, Congress
passed an act for the erection of a suitable building, to
contain a library, museum, art gallery, and a lecture
hall; leaving it discretionary with the trustees, to use
the remainder of the funds in any manner, that would
carry out the wishes of the founder. The Institute now
contains a fine museum of natural history, arranged in a
series of halls, and fine ethnological, mineral ogical, and
metallurgical collections. It is situated in very fine and
extensive grounds ; and a world-wide reputation has been
earned by its Transactions, which are annually published,
and distributed amongst kindred institutions, and which
have proved of great benefit to the scientific world, and
consequently to mankind generally, as was originally
intended by the beneficent founder.
WASHINGTON. 231
The Corcoran Gallery of Art is a large building of
brick and brown stone, in the Renaissance style, and
contains some fine paintings and statuary, and collections
of bric-a-brac and majolica-ware. Amongst the statuary,
Powers' "Greek Slave" is a prominent object.
Howard University is a noble institution, founded for
the education of youth without regard to sex or colour ;
it occupies a large brick building, painted white, sur
mounted by a fine tower, and gives instruction at present
to 700 students, all negroes.
CHAPTER XVI.
CINCINNATI, LOUISVILLE, AND ST. LOUIS.
JOURNEY from Baltimore Scenery Harper's Ferry Journey
Resumed Arrival at Cincinnati Its Position General
Appearance Tyler Davidson Fountain Public Edifices
Eden Park Spring-grove Cemetery Trip down the Ohio
Description of Louisville Commerce Unrivalled Position of
St. Louis Its Progress Appearance Streets and Buildings
Mississippi Bridge Characteristics of Western Men.
RETURNING to Baltimore, I soon found myself ensconced
in a comfortable carriage of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railway Company, en route for Cincinnati. This is a
journey of close upon 600 miles, and occupies twenty-four
hours. The road passes through beautiful scenery, and
many places in its vicinity have been the scene of exciting
events during the Civil War ; so that instead of being
monotonous, this journey is a most pleasurable one.
After leaving the city, we crossed the Carrollton Viaduct,
a splendid granite bridge spanning Gsyinn's Falls ; and
soon entered the " Deep Cut," a cutting seventy-six feet
deep, and nearly half a mile long, which formed one of
the greatest difficulties in the construction of the road.
The route continued interesting until Washington Junc
tion was reached, where the train entered the gorge,
through which the Patapsco river flows. On entering
HARPERS FERRY. 233
this defile, we obtained a fine view of the Thomas
Viaduct, a fine granite bridge nearly 700 feet long,
resting on eight elliptic arches and crossing the river
at a height of sixty feet above the water-level. We soon
arrived at a little place called Ellicott's Mills, situated in
a rocky gorge, through which the Patapsco tumbles in a
most excited manner. After leaving this picturesque
village, we passed many striking bits of scenery, and
after twice crossing the river on fine viaducts, we arrived
at Frederick Junction. This place had been the theatre
of a most sanguinary struggle between Federal and
Confederate soldiers, which resulted in the defeat of the
former. The road now passed over a fine open country
extending to the Catoctin Mountains, a continuation of
the Blue Ridge range j and we obtained a fine view of
one of the most noted features on this route, called Point
of Rocks. This is a lofty promontory formed by the
Catoctin Mountains, round the base of which, the
Potomac flows, and which completely blocks up the
pass ; but a long tunnel cut through the solid rock
enabled us to pass this impediment to our further
progress. For nearly three miles before reaching
Harper's Ferry, the track ran through a romantic defile
in the mountains, the rocky side of which rises to a
great height, looking like a great wall of stone. Harper's
Ferry is most beautifully situated at the base of a high
hill, at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac
234 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
rivers. The scenery in the neighbourhood is grand ;
the united waters of the two rivers flowing between
the Maryland Heights on the one side, and the
Bolivar Heights on the other ; and I was very
much tempted to break the journey here, and spend
a day or two amidst this picturesque scenery. At
Harper's Ferry, we crossed the Potomac on a fine iron
bridge, and proceeded through the ravine of Elk Branch,
until we entered upon a fine open undulating country,
which extended to the town of Martinsburg. The route
here became uninteresting, until the Potomac was again
reached, at a point opposite the ruins of Fort Frederick,
after passing which, the road swept round the base of a
mountain, past a remarkable insulated hill called " Round
Top." Here we commenced the ascent of the mountains,
during which we obtained many fine views of the
surrounding country, and passing through the celebrated
Doe Gully tunnel 1,200 feet in length, and Paw-Paw
tunnel, we continued our way for some distance through
rugged and imposing scenery ; and after again crossing
the Potomac we reached the town of Cumberland. This
town lies in an amphitheatre surrounded by the
mountains, and the approach to it is most striking ; it is
in point of population and commerce the second town
in importance, in the State of Maryland. The scenery
after leaving Cumberland continued very picturesque,
and at the place where the Potomac was crossed, and
EN ROUTE FOR CINCINNATI. 235
the train passed from Maryland into Virginia, the views
up and down the river were very fine. We soon-
commenced the ascent of the Alleghany mountains, and
in a short time reached Altamont, situated on the
extreme summit of the Range. Leaving Altamont, we
passed through beautiful natural meadows, locally called
"glades," watered by numerous streams ; and commenced
to descend the mountains through big excavations and
tunnels, until we reached the valley of the Cheat river,
passing which, we again descended through Kingwood
tunnel, which is 4,000 feet long, and at Grafton left the
mountains behind us. From Grafton the country was
well-wooded, but uninteresting, until we arrived at
Parkersville, where we crossed the river Ohio, on a grand
bridge considerably over a mile in length, which spans
the river upon six arches, the approaches to it resting
upon no less than forty-three arches. We soon reached
Athens, a pretty little town on the Hocking River.
Athens contains the Ohio University, the oldest seat of
learning in the State. The next place of importance
was Chillicothe, a town situated on a fine plain,
through which the Scioto River runs ; and which, at
one time, was the capital of the State of Ohio, and
is still a thriving, and very pretty town. Thence to
Cincinnati, there was nothing noteworthy on the route,
though the country we passed through, seemed well
cultivated.
236 TRAISS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
Cincinnati, founded in 1788, and consequently a little
under a century old, is certainly the most picturesque of
the great cities of America ; it is situated on the Ohio
River, at this point about twice as broad as the Thames
at Hungerford Bridge ; its waters, yellow as those of the
Tiber, here separating the State of Ohio from the
adjoining one of Kentucky. On the Kentucky side of
the river opposite Cincinnati, and connected with it by a
magnificent iron suspension bridge 2,250 feet in length,
the span between the towers being over 1,000 feet, are
the cities of Covington and Newport. The view from
the surrounding hills, of the three cities and the winding
river, is very fine. Cincinnati is built on two terraces,
rising one above the other, at a good elevation above the
river j and being entirely surrounded by hills on three
sides, thus lies in an amphitheatre ; and this position gives
it a picturesque variety of scenery, the want of which is
so apparent in the majority of the large American cities.
It is regularly laid out, the streets being broad, well paved,
and crossing one another at right angles ; although they
are not as clean as they might be. This, by the way, is
a failing common to all the cities of the Western States.
The business portion of Cincinnati is compactly built,
the buildings being for the most part of a dark freestone,
which gives them a substantial appearance ; the private
residences are situated on the upper terrace, and on the
hills in rear of the city.
CINCINNATI. 237
Fourth street is the fashionable promenade, and
contains the finest shops. In Pearl street are the prin
cipal wholesale warehouses ; and these being generally
uniform high stone buildings, have a very imposing
appearance. Third street contains the banks and
insurance offices. There are, besides, many fine streets
with beautiful private residences.
A prominent feature in the city, is the beautiful Tyler-
Davidson Fountain, erected at a cost, it is said, of
,40,000, by Mr. Davidson, and by him presented to
the citizens. It is of bronze, of exquisite workmanship ;
but it was cast in Munich, and though creditable alike in
design and execution, it certainly cannot be regarded as
a specimen of American art.
The population of Cincinnati now approaches a
quarter of a million of inhabitants, a third of which are
either German or of German parentage, and occupy a
portion of the city north of the Miami Canal, or the
Rhine as they have re-named it. Crossing this canal, one
finds oneself in seemingly quite a different country ; no
other language but German being heard, and the general
appearance of the houses, and mure especially of the
numerous beer gardens, reminding one forcibly of the
Fatherland.
The Government buildings do not call for special
mention ; the County Court House being the only one
with any pretensions to architectural design, but there
2$8 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
are several very excellent charitable institutions, amongst
which the Cincinnati Hospital and the Longview Asylum
for the Insane are prominent. The city too is particularly
well provided with first-class educational establishments,
many of them of a very high order.
The principal church edifice in the city, is the Roman
Catholic Cathedral of St. Peter, a fine building in pure
Grecian style with a high spire, and a portico supported
upon ten columns. The altar-piece " St. Peter Delivered,"
by Murillo, is one of the finest paintings in America.
The Episcopal Churches are plain and unpretentious ;
but the First Presbyterian is a fine building, with a huge
tower surmounted by a spire 270 feet high, terminating
in a gilded hand, the finger pointing upwards. The
Hebrew Synagogue is a profusely ornamented edifice in
the Moresque style, with the most beautifully decorated
interior in the city. The Hebrew Temple is a Gothic
edifice with double spires, and its interior is very beauti
fully frescoed.
Eden Park is a fine piece of ground, containing 216
acres ; it is situated on a breezy hill, which commands
fine views of the city and surrounding country ; is well
laid out, and contains the two reservoirs that supply the
city with water, and which very much resemble natural
lakes. Burnett Woods is a fine tract of forest-land, 170
acres in extent, situated at a short distance from the city,
and forms a pleasantly-shaded recreation ground, much
CINCINNATI. 239
resorted to by the citizens of Cincinnati in the hot weather.
There are also numerous small parks or " greens " scat
tered about the city, which are a great boon to the
inhabitants, and in addition to beautifying the town, must
exert a beneficial effect on the general health.
One of the lions of Cincinnati, is Spring-grove Ceme
tery, distant about three miles from the city. This is
approached by a fine avenue, and consists of some 600
acres, well wooded, and very picturesque. The entrance
is very beautiful, being in the Norman-Gothic style, and
the Cemetery contains a fine bronze statue of a soldier,
cast in Munich, and erected in honour of the Ohio
volunteers, who fell in the Civil War.
Cincinnati is the seat of many important industries ;
the manufactures of the city are valued at ^30,000,000
per annum, and consist principally of iron, boots and
shoes, machinery, steamboats, furniture, beer and whisky.
Pork-packing, however, is the great industry ; and in this
branch it ranks directly after Chicago.
From Cincinnati I proceeded down the Ohio to
Louisville. The view from the steamer on starting was
very fine ; on the one side the city rose, terrace above
terrace, towards the hill-tops, which, covered with villa
residences, and vineyards, formed a beautiful semi-circular
background ; whilst on the other side lay the twin cities
of Covington and Newport, nestling at the foot of the
Kentucky Hills. The river scenery is uninteresting;
240 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
towns being at great distances apart, and separated by
large tracts of virgin woodland, or plains, which have a
great sameness, and tend to make the trip monotonous.
The land on the upper Ohio, above Cincinnati, is said to
be under cultivation, and to be of a more diversified
character, with pretty homely scenery. Below Cincinnati,
the river, which had hitherto formed the boundary
between the States of Ohio, and Kentucky, makes a
sudden bend, and becomes the dividing line between the
States of Indiana and Kentucky.
Lawrenceburg and Aurora passed by the steamer are
flourishing little towns in Indiana, and have a rather
considerable shipping trade. Big-Bone Lick on the
Kentucky side, is so called from a quantity of mastodon
bones having here been found. Carrollton stands at the
junction with the Ohio of the Kentucky river, which is
navigable for about 200 miles, and possesses very pic
turesque scenery. Madison one of the principal cities in
Indiana presents a very imposing appearance from the
river ; it is well built and is a place of importance, having
a large commerce. Approaching Louisville the view
becomes very fine ; the river, here about a mile wide, is
crossed by an immense bridge, which connects the
Northern and Southern railway systems ; whilst the view
of Louisville on the one side, and of Jeffersonville on the
other, is really imposing.
Louisville, the chief city of Kentucky, is situated on a
LOUISVILLE. 241
plain surrounded by hills, on the Ohio, near the junction
with that river of the Bear-Grass creek. Opposite the
city are the falls of the Ohio, which are very picturesque,
being a succession of small cataracts, extending right
across the river, but which disappear when the water is
high. To prevent the navigation of the Ohio from being
impeded when its waters are low a canal has been
constructed round the falls, at great cost, to a place called
Shippingport.
The city covers an area of thirteen square miles, with
a frontage to the river of three miles, and is laid out with
great regularity; the streets being straight, wide, well-
paved, and shaded by fine trees, but like those of
Cincinnati they might with advantage be kept cleaner.
The first settlement on the present site of Louisville was
made in 1778, and the town was established in 1780, and
named after Louis XVI., King of France, who was then
assisting the States in their struggle for independence.
It now contains over 100,000 inhabitants.
The public buildings of Louisville are plain and
substantial ; but have no claim to beauty of design.
The charitable institutions are numerous in proportion to
the population, and the educational establishments and
libraries are many and excellent; the new coloured
Normal school for the instruction of negroes being one
of the finest schools of the kind in the country.
The private residences in the city have generally nice
17
242 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
lawns and gardens in front, and in this respect form a
pleasing contrast to those in the other large towns, where
the absence of private gardens is very noticeable.
On the Indiana side of the river, opposite Louisville, is
the town of Jefferson ville, reached by an iron bridge here
erected over the Ohio. This bridge or viaduct, the pride of
Louisville, is a mile in length, supported upon twenty-four
piers, and cost ,400,000 ; but unlike the beautiful bridges
at Cincinnati and St. Louis, it is not pleasing to the eye.
The commerce of Louisville is very considerable, it being
one of the largest leaf-tobacco markets in the country,
and also a great emporium for provisions and live stock.
Pork-packing and ham-curing are large industries, and
it is the distributing market for the wretched Kentucky
whiskies, the consumption of which is enormous. It is
also the centre of several important manufactures, the
principal being leather, cement, furniture, and agricultural
implements. The casting of iron, water and gas pipes is
also a large industry. The total annual value of the trade
of the city is estimated at ^50,000,000.
After spending a couple of days very profitably at
Louisville, I took the cars of the Ohio and Mississippi
Railway, and after a rather uninteresting journey arrived
at St. Louis.
St. Louis, the metropolis of the West, and the chief
city of the State of Missouri, is situated on the Mississippi
River, about twenty miles below its confluence with the
ST. LOUIS. 243
Missouri, and 170 miles above its junction with the
Ohio. Its position is unrivalled ; situated on a river,
that, with its tributaries commands half the traffic of the
whole country ; in close proximity to enormous tracts of
the best agricultural land, and to almost boundless
forests of fine timber ; with inexhaustible resources in its
coal and iron deposits ; there would appear to be no
limit to the future greatness of this city. Its progress
hitherto has been so rapid, equalled only by that of its
great rival Chicago, that it seems destined in time to
become, the greatest of American cities.
The first settlement made on the present site of St.
Louis, was in 1764, by Pierre Laclede and others, who,
under the title of the Louisiana Fur Company, received
from the Governor of Louisiana, then a French colony, a
grant of land, and permission to establish trading-posts
on the Mississippi ; and here the principal post called
St. Louis was settled. In 1813, when Louisiana was
ceded to the United States, that portion of it situated
above the 33rd degree of latitude, was erected into the
Missouri Territory, and eventually received as a State
into the Union. The growth of the city has been
marvellous; in 1811 the population amounted to 1,400
souls, and it is now supposed to contain nearly half a
million of inhabitants.
St. Louis is built on three terraces, rising one above
the other from the water's edge, and is, in spite of its
244 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
smoke, and dust, one of the finest cities in America. It
extends along the river for a distance of eleven miles,
and covers an area of 2 1 square miles ; the business
portion being densely built, and the whole river-front
embanked, and forming a Levee, as wharves are called
in America. Built for the most part of stone, the city
has a very substantial appearance, and is laid out with
great regularity, the streets near the river running parallel
with it and further back, being at right angles to those that
cross them. The streets running north and south, or
parallel with the river, are numbered First, Second, Third,
etc. ;. those extending from east to west have mostly pomo-
logical names ; and the houses, being all numbered on the
Philadelphia plan, it is easy to calculate one's distance from
Market street, the centre of the city, or from the Levee.
Front street extending the whole length of the Levee,
contains fine blocks of warehouses, and together with First
and Second streets, is the centre of the wholesale trade of
the city. Fourth street is the principal promenade, and
in it are the finest shops ; whilst the private residences are
in the avenues, and in Pine, Olive, and Locust streets.
St. Louis possesses some fine public buildings. The
Court House is built of limestone in form of a Greek
cross, with fine Doric porticoes, and surmounted by
a large cupola, from the top of which a grand view
of the city, river, and surrounding country is obtained.
The Four Courts building, in which, as its name
ST. LOUIS. 245
implies, the different Courts are held, is a beautiful
freestone edifice, very ornate, having in its rear a jail,
constructed of iron, semi-circular in form, so arranged,
that all the cells can be overlooked at the same time
by a single warder. A new building is in course of
erection, to be occupied as a Post Office and Custom
House, and will, when completed be very fine, and a
great improvement on the present inconvenient building ;
as will also the new Exchange now being built. Other fine
edifices are the Masonic Temple, the City Hall, the St.
Louis Life Insurance building, and the Republican
Newspaper building.
Some of the church edifices are very fine specimens of
ecclesiastical architecture, notably Christ Church (Epis
copal), which is built in Gothic Cathedral form, and
contains a handsome nave, adorned with stained glass
windows. The Catholic Cathedral has a fagade of
polished freestone, with a Doric portico, and lofty spire,
with a fine chime of bells. The First Presbyterian is a
fine Gothic edifice, with a particularly graceful spire, and
the Jewish Temple is one of the finest places of worship
in the city.
The public-school system of St. Louis is excellent ; the
numerous school buildings are commodious, well-venti
lated, and many of them really handsome in appearance.
The Washington University is the seat of the higher edu
cation of the city, and connected with it, are the Mary
246 TRANS -PACIFIC SKETCHES.
Institute for the instruction of females, the Polytechnic
School, and the St. Louis Law School. The students
number 700, and there are 60 teachers connected with
the different departments. The St. Louis University, a
Jesuit institution, is the oldest seat of learning in the
city; it has a valuable museum, and a library of 17,000
volumes, containing some rare specimens of early printing.
There are several good public libraries, the principal of
which, called the Mercantile Library, contains a fine
reading-room, with 45,000 volumes, and all the periodicals
and magazines of the day, and collections of paintings,
coins, and statuary.
The pride of St. Louis, however, is the noble bridge
over the Mississippi, which at this point is rather narrow,
and the current consequently very rapid. This bridge,
justly regarded as one of the greatest feats of American
engineering, is constructed in three cast-steel spans, (two
of which are each 500 feet wide, the centre one being 520
feet), supported upon four granite piers, sunk over 100 feet
through the sandy bed of the river, until they rest upon
the solid rock. These spans or arches are sixty feet
above the water-level, and therefore do not impede the
navigation of the river ; and the bridge itself consists of
two roadways, an upper one for carriages and pedestrians,
and a lower one for railway trains. The lower roadway
enters a tunnel from the bridge, nearly 5,000 feet in
length, which extends under a great portion of the city.
ST. LOUIS. 247
The cost of construction of bridge and tunnel was
^2,000,000.
There are several very fine parks in St. Louis ;
Lafayette Park, the principal, is a fine piece of ground
only thirty acres in extent, but being so well laid out,
and intended for pedestrians only, it seems of much
greater extent than it really is. Tower Grove Park, and
Shaw's Garden, are also pleasant recreation grounds.
Bellefontaine Cemetery, the most beautiful in the
Western States, embraces 350 acres, and is tastefully laid
out, with beautiful trees and shrubberies, and contains
many fine monuments.
As a manufacturing city, St. Louis ranks directly after
New York and Philadelphia ; its manufactured products
amounting to an estimated annual value of ^40, 000,000.
As the natural entrepot of the whole valley of the Mississippi,
however, it is the centre of the immense grain, live stock,
and provision trades ; and is the great distributing
market for the cotton, lead, tobacco, wool, and hides,
produced in that great district. It is also the greatest
flour market in the country, and a great seat of the
pork-packing industry.
Before proceeding South, I may say that Western
Americans gave me the impression of being more active
and energetic than their fellow-countrymen in the Northern
and Eastern States ; of being more broad-minded, less
inflated with their own importance, more observant of
248 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
passing events, and tolerant of difference of opinion. They
do not appear to have the formality and self-conceit of
the Yankee, nor the lassitude of the Southerner ; and
whilst attentive to their own affairs, yet seem very observant
of those of the Northern, Eastern, and Southern States,
and also to take an interest in foreign politics. They are
certainly more national in their ideas than the New Eng-
lander, who thinks his own State alone worthy of notice ;
than the Eastern men, who think their ideas should alone
dominate the country ; and than the Southerners, whose
attention seems to be solely devoted to recovering the
position they occupied before the civil war.
It is in consequence of these characteristics of Western
men, that careful observers conclude, that St. Louis will
become the metropolis of the whole country ; or that
the Western States will in time be erected into an
independent nation, with St. Louis as the capital. This
latter seems the more probable, as the Western States
already contain a population of eleven and a half
millions ; and when the land is all opened up and settled,
their interests will undoubtedly be better served, by
having a central government of their own at St. Louis,
than by the existing one at Washington, which has to
legislate for so many conflicting interests.
CHAPTER XVII.
DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI TO NEW ORLEANS.
THE Mississippi River The " Great Republic" Cairo Columbus
Hickman Memphis Helena Napoleon Vicksburg
Natchez Baton Rouge River Scenery New Orleans
Position History Streets and Squares Public Buildings
Churches Public School System French Market Cemeteries
Levee Commerce.
HAVING decided to proceed to New Orleans by steamer
down the Mississippi, I took my passage by the Great
Republic, which was advertised to sail on the following
day.
Before describing the trip, a few words about the river
itself may not be out of place. The Mississippi, which
means "the Great River/' literally "the Father of
Waters," rises in the highlands of Minnesota, in a cluster
of small lakes, near the sources of the Red River of the
North and the rivers that flow into Lake Superior. Its
sources are 1,680 feet above the Gulf of Mexico, into
which it enters. Its general course is southerly with
numerous windings and it has a length of 2,986 miles to
its mouth, from which to the source of the Missouri is
4,506 miles. The Mississippi and its tributaries drain
an area of 1,226,600 square miles. It is navigable to
the Falls of the St. Anthony a distance of 2,200 miles, or,
250 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
reckoning the Missouri with it, boats can proceed from
its mouth a distance of 3,500 miles. It has 1,500 navig
able tributaries, the principal of which are the Red River,
340 miles long from its mouth ; the Yazoo 534 miles; the
Arkansas 700 miles ; the Ohio 1,053 miles ; and the
Missouri 1,253 miles. The Mississippi averages for its
whole course a width of 3,000 feet, and is from 75 to 120
feet deep. There is no apparent increase from the largest
branches, and it is estimated that 40 per cent, of the flood
waters are lost in the great marshes. Thousands of acres
of land on the banks, are annually carried away by the
current. The Mississippi forms a portion of the boundaries
often States, having the southern part of Minnesota, Iowa,
Missouri, Arkansas, and most of Louisiana on the west
bank ; and Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and
Mississippi on the east. The chief towns situated on
its banks are New Orleans, Natchez, Vicksburg, Memphis,
St. Louis, Quincy, Keokuk, Galena and St. Paul.
And now a few words about the Great Republic
which is the largest of the immense three-decked Mis
sissippi boats. The saloon of the Great Republic, which
is 260 feet long, is painted white and gold picked out
with blue and is remarkably pretty. It has a double row
of pillars with fretted arches forming three aisles, of which
the side ones abut on the state-rooms. Round the saloon
are covered galleries ; above is a tier of small apartments
in which the officers and employes of the boat sleep,
CAIRO. 251
and above that, in the centre, the tower from which the
vessel is steered. Over the paddle-boxes are a bar-room
and a barber's-shop. The lower part of the vessel
resembles a series of immense barns : here are the
enormous engines, furnaces, and stores of coal and wood,
piles of cargo, horses, mules, and other animals. In one
corner is a carpenter's shop ; in another a blacksmith's
forge. On deck towards the bows, is hung a fine deep-
toned bell, which would put to shame many of the church
bells one hears. Meals are served in the saloon at tables
that accommodate about ten persons each.
Having noticed'these various features of what is destined
for some few days, to be my home, I proceed on deck to
have a look at the country through which we are passing.
The scenery is rather pretty ; low wooded hills from time
to time approach the river on either side, and there are
frequent signs of cultivation and habitation. At times
there are pretty limestone bluffs, hollowed out in places
into caves and arches, evidently by the action of the water
at some remote epoch, when its bed was at a far higher
level than it is at present. For thirty miles below St.
Louis, the Iron-Mountain Railway runs along the river
bank. The ore at this place is very rich, and almost
pure.
We soon approached the city of Cairo, which is
situated on the Ohio, just above its junction with the
Mississippi. Cairo is built on a bank of slimy mud.
252 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
As the steamer approached the desolate embankment,
which seemed the only barrier between the low land on
which the town is built and the waters of the great river
rising above it, it certainly was difficult to imagine that
sane men, even though they be speculators, could have
fixed upon such a spot, on which to place the site of a
city an emporium of trade and commerce. The town
itself is a collection of brick houses and wooden shanties,
and the streets are rendered almost impassable by mud.
A more desolate-looking place cannot be conceived.
Surely Dickens must have had Cairo in mind, when he
described the nourishing town of Eden.
An hour and a half's journey from Cairo brought us to
Columbus, which is situated on an elevated spur of land
projecting into the water. The river here is very wide, in fact
it did not appear to me to be wider at Vicksburg or Baton
Rouge, which are not far from its mouth. On the hills
behind Columbus may still be seen the dismantled ruins
of strong earth-works, thrown up during the civil war to
protect the town. A large island here impedes the
stream, which runs swiftly under the bluffs, large portions
of which become undermined and fall into the river.
A couple of hours after leaving Columbus we stopped
at the desolate looking village of Hickman, which is on
the "Ole Kentucky shore," at this point a very slimy
one. The scenery of the river, if scenery it can be
called, was now dreary in the extreme and continued so
MEMPHIS. 253
for the whole of the distance to New Orleans. Surely
the Mississippi must be the most uninteresting river in
the world, in spite of the boastings of oratorical patriots.
Not a particle of romance can possibly attach to the
immense forests of poor timber, or the dismal swamps
which alternate with them.
The next day we reached Memphis, in the State of
Tennessee, 420 miles below St. Louis. This flourishing
new city stands on a yellow bluff, thirty feet above the
highest floods, and is already a place of much importance.
It extends for several miles along the high banks of the
river, though it does not run far back. The streets are
at right angles to the principal thoroughfares, which are
parallel to the river. In the centre of the town is a
green square planted with trees, which seems a place of
great resort by the citizens. The lofty stores and ware
houses, the rows of shops on the broad street along the
river, and the number and size of the public and private
edifices, attest the results of the development of commerce
created in a great measure by the Mississippi. Memphis
is the outlet of a large cotton district, and exports 400,000
bales annually. It has fine public buildings and hotels,
a theatre, eighteen churches, two medical colleges, five
daily and three weekly newspapers, besides numerous
banks and insurance offices. It is connected by railway
with New Orleans, Charleston, Louisville, and Little
Rock; and possesses foundries and manufactories of
254 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
boilers and machinery. Its population is estimated at
something over 30,000. During the War of Secession it
fell into the hands of the Federal forces after the fall of
Island No. 10, in 1862, and was the base of military
operations for the capture of Vicksburg. Memphis is a
wonderful place, and impressed me with the idea of
progress more than any other place in the States. I was
perplexed and amused by the mixture of whites, negroes,
and of the semi-savage, degraded by his contact with the
white man; by the contrast between the gigantic steamer
and the "dug-out" of the black man, which are to be
seen in close proximity on the river ; by the roll of
heavily-laden drays and the rattle of cars in the streets,
and at all the phenomena of active commercial life, being
included in the same scope of vision that takes in, at the
other side of the Mississippi, lands scarcely yet settled,
and some that remain in the same state as they were
centuries ago.
Human life is still held cheap on the Mississippi, and
" differences" still frequently occur, which end in blood
shed.
The next place of any importance we arrived at was
Helena, a small town in the State of Arkansas. Helena
stands in the mud, at the foot of some low hills, and was
the scene of a severe engagement during the war. For a
long time we continued our dreary way, until we arrived
at Napoleon, a wretched-looking place, consisting of a
VICKSBURG. 255
collection of wooden houses, situated on a spit of muddy
land, near the mouth of the Arkansas river.
The next day we reached Vicksburg, which is about
400 miles distant from New Orleans and 120 from
Natchez, and which stands on a high bluff of yellow clay
on the left bank of the river. Seen from the river with
the remains of its great earth-works, and with the Court
House and the spire of the Roman Catholic Church on
the highest points, Vicksburg has a somewhat imposing
and even picturesque appearance.
Vicksburg is the largest town, though not the capital
of the State of Mississippi, and its exports of cotton before
the war amounted to 100,000 bales per annum. It was
strongly fortified in 1862 and provided with a numerous
garrison. In January 1863 it was attacked by the
Federal naval force from Memphis and New Orleans, but
without success. In April 1863 a naval attack was com
bined with the land forces under General Grant, who
defeated General Pemberton near Jackson, cut off sup
plies and reinforcements for the garrison, and with a
close siege and continual assaults compelled a surrender
on July 4th 1863, with 30,000 prisoners, 200 cannon,
and 70,000 stand of arms. From the natural strength
and importance of its position Vicksburg has often been
called the " Quebec of the Mississippi," but the town itself
is miserable, the streets for the most part being unpaved,
and the buildings irregular, and generally constructed of
256 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
wood or brick. From the terrace of the Court House,
the view of the river, and of the vast tracts of forest,
extending as far as the eye can reach, is, however, very
fine. A little above the town, situated on a hill that
slopes gently down to the river, is a cemetery in which
repose the bodies of more than 30,000 Federal soldiers,
an awful memorial of that terrible fratricidal war, called
by some Americans " a little family quarrel." Vicksburg
is a place of much commercial importance and contains
about 10,000 inhabitants.
After leaving Vicksburg there was nothing to break the
monotony of the next 100 miles, until we approached
Natchez, when the banks became steeper, and the scenery
a little more interesting. Natchez, distant from New
Orleans 280 miles, is situated on a bluff 150 feet high,
which here forms the river-bank. A portion of the town
is called Natchez-under-the-Hill, and was formerly the
resort of the river gamblers, pirates and other desperate
characters. The city has ten churches, a Court House,
Jail, the United States Marine Hospital, and possesses
two daily papers. It is the shipping port of a large and
fertile cotton district and has steam communication with
the whole Mississippi valley. Natchez, which derives its
name from a noted tribe of Indians, was settled by the
French in 1716, and destroyed by Indians in 1729, but
was subsequently re-built. Its population is estimated at
20,000.
BATON ROUGE. 257
Shortly after leaving Natchez we passed the mouth of
the Great Red River on the right, which came rolling out
from amidst forests looking nearly as broad as the
Mississippi itself; and yet the latter after its junction with
it did not seem to gain at all in width. The settlements
on the river banks now became more numerous, and we
stopped at several small places, one of which, Port Hudson,
was prettily situated on a bluff of loamy clay and was very
refreshing to the eye after the low swampy forests and
flat plantation lands which border the greater portion of
the lower Mississippi.
The next stopping place was Baton Rouge, a small
town, formerly the political capital of the State of
Louisiana. Like Vicksburg and Natchez, it stands on
rising ground, and is about eighty miles to the north
west of New Orleans. It is a dull and sleepy place. In
the centre of the town stands the Capitol, a big castellated
building, which was gutted by fire during the war ; since
which time the Legislature of the State has held its
sittings at New Orleans, and Baton Rouge has lost its
pride of place, as capital of the State. As far back as
1838 it was the seat of a college. Besides the Louisiana
Penitentiary, Baton Rouge contains an Asylum where all
the deaf and dumb of the State from ten to thirty years of
age, and all the blind between the ages of eight and
twenty-five, are entitled to be educated and maintained
at the public charge. Baton Rouge contains about
18
258 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
10,000 inhabitants and on the opposite side of the river
another town of the same name contains nearly an equal
population.
From Baton Rouge to New Orleans the banks are
flat and uninteresting and the country seemed to consist,
for the most part, of low swampy land.
Take it altogether, the journey from St. Louis to the
mouth of the Mississippi is one of singularly little
interest. The desolation is oppressive. For hundreds
of miles, dense forests of poor, weedy-looking trees
alternate with undrained swamps. Towns are rare, and
vast tracts of land intervene between them. The villages
and detached shanties stand on unhealthy clearings, and
the rotting timbers which support them are plastered
with advertisements of specifics against chills, agues, and
fevers. There are hundreds and hundreds of square
miles of rich marsh and forest land waiting to be drained
and so made to minister to the wants of a thriving
population, and to the enrichment of the country at
large. It seems almost incredible that instead of
fostering this important object, the United States
Government has recently thrown away millions in
purchasing a wretched country like Alaska, from mere
lust of possessing more territory.
New Orleans the political and commercial metropolis
of the State of Louisiana, is situated on both sides of the
Mississippi, but principally on the left, about 100 miles
NEW ORLEANS. 259
above its mouth. Though large, it is anything but a fine
city, being built on the alluvial banks of the river, on
ground lower than the high-water level, and only
protected from inundations by a levee or embankment
of earth, four feet high and fifteen feet wide, that extends
for a great distance on both sides of the river, and forms
a pleasant promenade in the winter months. The water
that percolates through this embankment and the natural
drainage is conducted by open gutters, which run through
the streets, into a swamp that lies between the city and
Lake Pontchartrain, three miles distant. There is always
the danger of the Mississippi making a breach in the
embankment and pouring its waters into the city ;
besides which, Lake Pontchartrain has a nasty habit of
backing up and inundating it, after the prevalence of
certain winds. Thus New Orleans is unpleasantly
situated between two waters ; and the soil is so full of
moisture that no excavations can be made. The largest
buildings have no cellars below the surface ; and in the
cemeteries there are no graves, the dead being placed in
tombs above ground.
The older part of New Orleans is built within a great
bend of the river, from which circumstance it derives its
name of the " Crescent City." It has however long ago
overstepped its original limits, and now extends for a
distance of about twelve miles along the river bank,
presenting an outline somewhat like the letter S.
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New Orleans was settled by the French in 1718, but
was abandoned in consequence of floods and sickness.
Another, and more successful attempt at settlement was
made in 1723, and the colony was held by the French
until 1729; then by the Spaniards till 1801, and by the
French again until 1803 ; when it was ceded with the
Province of Louisiana to the United States. In 1860,
Louisiana having seceded from the Union, New Orleans
became an important centre of commercial and military
operations, and was closely blockaded by a Federal fleet.
An expedition of gunboats under Admiral Farragut forced
the defences at the mouth of the river on April 24th,
1862; when the city was forced to surrender, and was
occupied by General Butler as military Governor.
The streets of New Orleans are very wide and handsome
in appearance, though only the principal of them are
paved. Those parallel with the river extend in an
unbroken line, for a distance of about twelve miles ; those
at right angles to them, that run from the river to the
lake, are also very regular. The streets that are not
paved, are simply quagmires : in winter they are not
practicable at all, and even in summer the dust makes
them almost impassable. The open gutters form a bad
feature of the streets of New Orleans ; these have very
steep sides, and are crossed at street corners by small
bridges, consisting of single stones, and allowing two
persons only to cross at a time.
NEW ORLEANS. 2 6 1
Canal street is the main business thoroughfare, and
promenade ; and may be said to divide the city into two
pretty equal parts. It is nearly 200 feet wide, and has a
grass-plot twenty-five feet wide, and bordered with two
rows of trees in the centre, extending its whole length.
Claiborne, Rampart, St. Charles, and Esplanade streets,
are embellished in the same manner. In Canal street
is a colossal bronze statue of Henry Clay.
Jackson Square is the favourite place of resort ; it
contains beautiful trees and shubbery, and shell-strewn
walks ; in the centre stands an equestrian Statue of
General Jackson. When the Federals occupied New
Orleans, they, with execrably bad taste, cut twice upon the
granite pedestal of this statue, the motto " The Union
must, and shall be preserved,'' making it appear as if
General Jackson had enunciated that sentiment. Over
looking this square, is the French Cathedral of St. Louis,
built in the old French style, and two Court Houses
in the Tusco-Doric ; which have a very picturesque
appearance.
Lafayette Square is also a handsome enclosure, and
contains a fine marble statue of Franklin by Hiram
Powers. The City Hall, Oddfellows' Hall and a fine
Presbyterian Church, all front this square.
New Orleans is not remarkable for its architecture, but
it possesses a few very fine buildings, the principal of
which is the Custom House and Post Office. This fine
262 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
edifice is built of a dark granite, and is after the Capitol
at Washington, the largest building in the States ; it has
some fine columns with heavy Egyptian capitals, and the
Long Room is a very handsome hall. The City Hall is
certainly the finest edifice in the city ; it is built of white
marble in the Ionic style, with a wide and high flight of
steps leading to an elegant portico, supported by eight
columns. The State and City Libraries occupy rooms in
this building.
The churches of New Orleans are numerous and
handsome. The most famous is the Roman Catholic
Cathedral of St. Louis, which has an imposing fagade,
surmounted by a lofty blue-slated steeple and flanked by
two towers, each capped by a smaller blue-slated spire.
The paintings on the ceiling of this building are by Canova
and Rissi. The finest Episcopal Church is St. Peter's,
which is a handsome specimen of Gothic architecture,
and has a very rich interior. The Presbyterian Church is
a fine structure in Greco-Doric style, and is much admired
for its fine steeple. The Temple Sinai, the principal
Jewish place of worship, has a light and elegant appear
ance ; it is built of parti-coloured bricks, and has a
handsome portico flanked by two towers, surmounted by
tinted cupolas. Its Gothic windows are filled with
beautifully stained glass, and the interior is remarkably
rich and beautiful.
There are in New Orleans eighty public schools, and
NEW ORLEANS. 263
numerous private ones, mostly Roman Catholic, which
provide for the instruction and moral training of the rising
generation. Many of these are high-class educational
institutions, the principal being the University of Louis
iana, which has only the two departments of law and
medicine, but these are of a high order, and very well
attended. The medical college, contains a fine anatomical
museum and other collections. Straight University is
exclusively for coloured students, and gives instruction of
good grammar-school grade. The public school system
of New Orleans is secular and free. The schools are
divided into " High schools," " Grammar schools " and
"Primary schools" and are governed by a board of
directors chosen by the City Council, who levy a special
tax for educational purposes. Opposition to the system
has only proceeded from the Roman Catholic body, who
are, of course, very strong in New Orleans. They have
not, however, as elsewhere, contented themselves with
simply denouncing the schools as " Godless," but they
have erected magnificent schools themselves, in which
children receive a good education for one dollar a month,
or, gratis, if they cannot pay that sum .
The principal charitable institutions of New Orleans
are the Charity Hospital and the Hotel Dieu. The
former is one of the finest buildings in the city, and one
of the noblest institutions in the country j it was founded
in 1784, has stood on its present site since 1832, and
264 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
has accommodation for 500 patients. The Hotel Dieu
is a fine hospital, established by the Sisters of Charity
and supported entirely by receipts from patients, although
many are admitted free of charge.
A visit to the French market, which comprises several
buildings on the levee, is most interesting. The market
people commence to assemble at daybreak, and it
appears as if all nations and tongues have their represen
tatives in the motley and ever-moving crowd. The
noise, however, is far from being unpleasant to a visitor's
ear. The prevailing language is French, and is heard
in every dialect and patois, from the fluent and musical
accents of the polished Creole, to the childish jargon of
the negroes. The articles exposed for sale are infinite in
their variety, but the fruits and flowers are especially
attractive. The former embrace all the products of both
the temperate and torrid zones ; and the rich colours of
the flowers are wonderful to behold.
The cemeteries of New Orleans are noteworthy for
the peculiar mode of interment in them. From the nature
of the soil, which is semi-fluid at a depth of two or three
feet below the surface, all the tombs are above ground.
Some of these are very costly and beautiful structures of
marble and stone, but the great majority only consist of
cells, placed one above the other, generally to the height
of seven or eight feet. Each cell is only large enough to
receive the coffin, and is hermetically bricked up at its
NEW ORLEANS. 265
narrow entrance as soon as the funeral rites are over.
In most instances a marble tablet, appropriately inscribed,
is placed over the brickwork, by which the vault or
oven, as it is locally termed is closed.
The levee is one of the most characteristic sights of
New Orleans, and for extent and activity it has no
parallel on the continent. Here a thousand river
steamers and flat boats may be seen at one time ; whilst
its wharves are lined with hundreds of sailing and steam
ships from all parts of the world. New Orleans com
mands 20,000 miles of steamboat navigation, and is the
natural entrepot of one of the richest regions on the
continent. In the value of its exports, it ranks after
New York ; it is the principal cotton mart of the world,
and besides cotton, it ships sugar, tobacco, flour, pork,
&c., to the total value of ^"20,000,000. Its imports,
which consist principally of coffee, iron, salt, drapery,
and spirits, amount to ^3, 000,000. Its manufactures
are unimportant, and its population is estimated at
210,000 inhabitants.
CHAPTER XVIII.
MOBILE, SAVANNAH, CHARLESTON, RICHMOND.
LAKE Pontchartrain Description of Mobile Harbour Indians
Vicinity Montgomery Atlanta Macon Description of
Savannah Pulaski Monument Bonaventure Rail to Charles
ton Position Harbour Description of the City Public
Buildings Ruined Plantations Columbia Wilmington The
City of Richmond Capitol St. John's Church Statue of
Washington Condition of the South.
LEAVING New Orleans by the Pontchartrain railway, I
found myself within an hour on the steamer proceeding
down Lake Pontchartrain, en route for Mobile. This
lake is distant about five miles from New Orleans ; its
muddy waters teem with fine fish, and are covered with
game of all kinds ; it is forty miles long, twenty-five
miles wide, and from sixteen to twenty feet deep. The
shores are covered with dense forests of fine timber,
chiefly pine and cypress, and abound with deer. The
trip was somewhat monotonous, until we entered the
channel called the Rigolettes, and passed Fort Pike,
when the scenery became a little more diversified. In
the course of a few hours we were in the Mississippi
Sound, catching occasional glimpses of the open Gulf of
Mexico ; and soon entered the Bay of Mobile. Here,
below the bar of the Alabama River, at a distance of
MOBILE. 267
twenty-five miles from the city, vessels drawing over ten
feet of water are compelled to lie, their cargoes being
conveyed to and from the city in small steamers; but
improvements are now being made, that will enable
vessels of thirteen feet draught to get up to the wharves.
Mobile, known also as the " Gulf City," is the largest
town and the only seaport in the State of Alabama ; and
is situated on the Mobile River, thirty miles distant from
the Gulf of Mexico, in the midst of a sandy plain,
bounded at the distance of a few miles by high hills.
Though regularly laid out, with well-paved and delight
fully shaded streets, I should say it is one of the dirtiest
and most dismal towns in America. Government street
however, the principal promenade, is a fine thoroughfare
shaded by grand oaks, and containing many handsome
private residences with beautiful gardens. There is too
a public square, its walks well shaded by fine trees, that
is also a nice feature of the town, and tends to modify
its general dreariness. The only building in Mobile that
calls for special mention is the Custom House, which
also contains the Post Office ; this is a handsome edifice
built of granite.
The City now contains a population of 40,000, and its
principal business consists in the shipment of cotton, of
which staple 350,000 bales are annually exported. There
are also a few foundries and machine shops and other
industries in the town.
268 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
The harbour is strongly defended, and during the late
Civil War the fortifications were attacked by the Federal
fleet under Admiral Farragut, who ran the gauntlet of the
batteries, destroyed the Confederate fleet including the
ram Tennessee, but did not succeed in capturing the
city itself, which only fell after the surrender of General
Lee, and was one of the last Southern towns occupied by
the Federal troops during the war.
In the outskirts of Mobile there is a small settlement
of Choctaw Indians who inhabit huts, open on one side,
constructed of bark and covered with deerskins, and so
low that they can only be occupied in a sitting posture.
These Indians who live chiefly by cutting wood, which
is sold in the city by the squaws, though some of them
hunt, are a fine race, being tall and well-made, with
bright black eyes and light coppery complexions. They
seem extremely poor and miserable, and will no doubt
in the course of a few years entirely die out, unless
something is done to improve their condition.
Spring Hill is a pleasant suburb some six miles distant
from the city, where there are a number of pretty villa
residences embowered among the woods. In close
proximity is a fine forest of pines, oaks, chestnuts and
giant magnolias, which latter are quite equal in size to
the other large forest trees, and, with their brown trunks,
masses of green foliage, and lovely white flowers, are
certainly pre-eminent in beauty.
MONTGOMERY. 269
Much lawlessness seems to prevail, and crime is of
frequent occurrence, owing in a great measure to the still
unsettled state of the South, and the political ascendancy
of the negroes ; but on this subject I will write at greater
length later on.
The heat was so intense that I did not make a long
stay in Mobile, but taking the Mobile and Montgomery
Railway, soon left for the latter place. Montgomery
is the political capital of Alabama, and in size and
importance the second city in that State. It is situated
on the Alabama River and contains a population of
some 13,000 inhabitants. A prominent feature in it,
and one visible for some distance around, is the Senate
House situated on an eminence called Capitol Hill ; it
is a fine building with a large dome. Montgomery was
the first capital of the Southern Confederacy, but was
afterwards supplanted by Richmond.
I did not remain long in this town, but availed myself
of a train that started for Atlanta a couple of hours after
my arrival. The route lay through the most thickly
settled districts in the States of Alabama and Georgia, past
many pretty little towns, and though the scenery was not
strikingly picturesque, it yet possessed the Southern
characteristics of luxuriant vegetation to relieve it from
monotony. Atlanta is the capital of Georgia, and after
Savannah the largest town in that State. Its importance
arises from its position as the centre of several railway
270 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
systems that here converge, and it has many of the
features of those Northern towns that owe their rise to
the same cause. It is however picturesquely situated,
and possesses a few good buildings, the principal of
which are the State House, the City Hall, and the Union
Passenger Depot.
Being desirous of hastening on to Savannah, where I
intended to stay for a few days, I did not wait at Atlanta,
but at once proceeded by rail to Macon, which place I
reached after a journey of five hours, through country
similar in appearance to that between Montgomery and
Atlanta. Macon is a remarkably pretty place on the
Ocmulgee River; it is regularly laid out, and is quite
embowered in trees and shrubbery. It is one of
the most prosperous towns in Georgia; contains a
population of some 10,000 inhabitants, and possesses
important industries in its iron foundries, machine shops,
and flour-mills. After leaving Macon, a journey of some
ten hours' duration brought me hot and dusty to
Savannah, where I found good accommodation at the
Screven House and enjoyed the luxury of a bath, which
by the way always costs two shillings throughout the
States.
Savannah is without doubt the handsomest city in
the South and perhaps in the whole of the States ; for
it is embowered in the luxuriant foliage of orange-trees,
bananas, magnolias, stately palmettos, flowering oleanders,
SAVANNAH. 271
pomegranates, myrtles, bay and laurel trees. The private
residences have mostly beautiful gardens, which are in
constant bloom, and the city itself is laid out very
regularly, the streets being wide, well-shaded, and crossing
one another at right angles. A charming feature of
Savannah too is the number of squares or greens at the
intersection of the principal streets. These squares,
twenty-four in number, vary in extent from two to three
acres, and being situated equi-distant from one another,
laid out in walks, and planted with evergreens and
ornamental trees, assist materially in giving to the city,
that appearance of tropical luxuriance of vegetation, that
constitutes its great beauty.
The position of Savannah, from a commercial point of
view is very good. It is situated on the Savannah River,
about eighteen miles above the point where it empties
itself into the Atlantic ; and it has become the second
port in the States for the shipment of cotton. Its river
front is in the form of a crescent, extending a distance of
about three miles, and all the large warehouses are here
built on a narrow strip of land, that intervenes between
the wharves on the river-front and the base of a steep
bluff; thus their uppermost windows in the rear overlook
a sandy plain on the top of this bluff, planted with rows
of trees, which, under the name of " the Bay," is the
great commercial mart of the city.
Most of the public buildings, which however are not
272 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
particularly noteworthy, are erected on land fronting the
different squares in the city. They are consequently very
conspicuous, the most prominent being the Custom
House and Post Office, which is a fine granite edifice.
In one of these squares is a fine monument erected to
the memory of Count Pulaski, who fell in 1779, in the
attempt of the combined French and American forces to
recapture the city, then in the hands of the British, who
had taken it by assault in the preceding year. This
chaste monument, erected on the spot where Pulaski fell,
consists of a marble shaft fifty-five feet high, surmounted
by a figure of Liberty holding the national flag. In
another of these squares there is a Doric obelisk
commemorating General Greene and Count Pulaski
jointly.
At a distance of four miles from the city, on the Warsaw
River a branch of the Savannah, is the beautiful
Bonaventure Cemetery, which, at one time the private
estate of an English family, is now used as a resting-place
for the dead ; Nature having seemingly intended it for
that purpose. While still in private hands, it had been
laid out in avenues of live-oak trees, and these have in
course of time assumed the proportions of forest giants,
and stand like colossal columns on either side ; whilst
their ever-green foliage, interlaced high overhead, excludes
the light, and gives to the natural aisles thus formed, a
sombre and solemn aspect, quite in harmony with the
CHARLESTON. 273
purpose to which they are put. Nowhere have I seen so
appropriate a home for the dead, as in these darkened
leafy glades, where the very moss and wild vine that
hang pendent from the green canopy overhead, seem to
mourn for those who lie buried beneath their shade.
After spending a couple of days very pleasantly, in
spite of the great heat at Savannah, I proceeded by the
Savannah and Charleston Railway to the latter place.
The road thither runs within a few miles of the sea-shore,
but we never caught sight of the ocean, and for a great
distance passed over swamps, and across numerous
muddy streams, the rails being laid on piles. The
scenery though not picturesque, was rich in grand vege
tation, for we passed many dense forests of pines,
cypresses, bay and laurel trees ; while huge oaks of
enormous size, that must for centuries have withstood
the ravages of time, lined the road on either side ; in
parts forming magnificent avenues, within the shade of
which, innumerable flowers of all colours and hues made
beautifully variegated floral carpets.
Charleston is situated on a narrow spit of land formed
by the junction of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, at the
point where they enter the sea ; it thus possesses three
water frontages. It is now the principal city in South
Carolina in size and commercial importance, and contains
over 50,000 inhabitants. It is, for America, an old city,
having been settled by an English colony in 1679. It
19
274 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
played an important part in the Revolution, which
obtained for the States their independence, and also in
the first stages of Southern secession, the cause of the
late civil war.
The Harbour is an estuary about seven miles in
length, extending to the Atlantic; it is almost land
locked, the entrance being only a mile in width. It is
protected by strong batteries, the principal of which are
Fort Moultrie, Fort Sumter, and Castle Pinckey ; the
former being situated on Sullivan's Island, at the entrance
to the harbour on the right. Fort Sumter is now in ruins,
and forms a picturesque feature of the harbour view ; it
is built on a shoal on the left side of the entrance, and
commands the channel by which vessels enter. Castle
Pinckey, covering the crest of a mud bank, is immediately
in front of the town, being distant from it about a mile,
and directly facing the entrance. It was here that open
hostilities first commenced in the late war, when Fort
Sumter was bombarded by the Confederates, who com
pelled the Federal garrison to surrender ; and for a long
time afterwards these fortifications were one of the chief
points of Federal attack.
Charleston is built on low flat land ; extends a distance
of three miles from north to south, and is laid out with
some degree of regularity. There is no uniformity in the
buildings, but the absence of regularity in this respect is
more than compensated for, by the greater diversity;
CHARLESTON. 275
and as the houses are mostly detached, quaint in
appearance, and surrounded by gardens containing the
grand oaks, magnolias, and that luxuriant vegetation
peculiar to the South ; the town has a most picturesque
appearance. Charleston suffered very much during the
civil war, but since then, such progress has been made
in the work of rebuilding, that it now shows but few
traces of the great damage it sustained.
King street is the principal thoroughfare and contains
the best shops. In Meeting street are the warehouses
in which the wholesale trade of the city is conducted,
and the Banks and Insurance Offices are located in
Broad street. The prettiest feature of Charleston, is a
fine promenade called the Battery, situated at the water's
edge, and surrounded by the best private residences.
From it a magnificent view of the harbour is obtained.
The country to the north of the city is very beautiful,
and the drives in that direction along the banks of the
Ashley and Cooper Rivers are most enjoyable, passing
as they do, through rich tropical shrubbery.
Charleston possesses numerous public buildings ; they
are however with a few exceptions not remarkable for
beauty of design. The new Custom House which is not
yet completed, is a handsome edifice of white marble, in
the Corinthian style, with a very graceful portico. The
City Hall too is a fine building, approached by a double
flight of marble steps. The Orphan House, standing in
276 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
the middle of extensive grounds which contains a statue
of William Pitt, erected during the revolutionary times, is
one of the most prominent buildings in the town, and
one of the best institutions of the kind in the States. It
has the honor of having produced men, who have risen
to distinction and attained the highest positions.
There are two churches in Charleston that are note
worthy on account of their comparative antiquity. These
are St. Michael's and St. Philip's ; the former of which
was erected in 1752, from the designs of a pupil of
Sir Christopher Wren, and possesses a fine spire,
which forms a prominent landmark even far out at sea.
St. Philip's is not quite so old, and the greatest interest
attaches to its graveyard, where lie buried the bodies of
the most illustrious of South Carolina's sons.
It is sad to see the devastation caused by the war on
some of the plantations in the neighbourhood, notably
on James Island ; but nowhere does this feeling of
melancholy so forcibly oppress one, as during a visit to
Middleton Place, formerly one of the most beautiful
plantations in South Carolina, and which still exhibits
in its luxuriant shrubbery and magnificent old oaks,
its lakes, and picturesque old tombs, traces of its
former glory, now, alas, wrecked and ruined by the
unsparing hand of war.
Leaving Charleston I started on my way to Richmond,
taking the cars of the Atlantic Coast line, and completed
COLUMBIA. 277
the long journey of 570 miles in a day and night. As
far as Columbia, distant from Charleston 130 miles, the
scenery possessed some of the Southern characteristics of
rich vegetation, though in its least beautiful form ; since
the country is flat, and covered with extensive forests of
pine trees. Columbia is the capital of South Carolina
and is picturesquely situated on the bluffs of the Congaree,
just below the lovely falls of that river. In 1865 during
its occupation by General Sherman's forces it was the
scene of a great conflagration, which destroyed the
magnificent gardens and fine trees shading the streets,
that constituted its most beautiful features. It is still a
remarkably pretty place and one of some importance,
containing a population of some 9,000 souls. There is
in course of erection a Capitol or State House that will
be when completed amongst the handsomest buildings in
the States. The Asylum for the Insane is also a fine
edifice.
Continuing the journey from Columbia ; the country
through which the line passed became more monotonous,
though presenting the same general characteristics of flat
country, with numerous belts of pine trees. The stations
on this portion of the road were few and far between,
the principal being Sumter and Florence. After travel
ling about no miles we arrived at Wilmington. This is
the largest city in North Carolina, and is situated on the
Cape Fear River, about twenty miles from its mouth,
278 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
which is defended by a strong battery called Fort
Fisher.
From Wilmington the scenery continued of the same
uninteresting character, and throughout the long stretch
of road, over which we had to travel, before arriving at
Petersburg, 160 miles distant, we only passed two
stations of any importance, Goldsboro, a prosperous
little town of 5,000 inhabitants, situated at the head of
navigation on the Neuse River, and Weldon a thriving
little place in North Carolina on the Roanoke River.
Petersburg is noteworthy, from having been the scene of
the last struggles of the Confederates in the late war,
which resulted in its evacuation by General Lee, and led
to the capture of Richmond by the Federals. It has
prospered since the war, and the vestiges of the great
battles that here took place are gradually being effaced,
but the remains of the fortifications are still visible and
form a mournful momento of that sanguinary fratricidal
war. After passing Petersburg we crossed the James
River on a fine bridge and soon arrived at Richmond.
Richmond the chief city and political metropolis of
Virginia, and during the civil war the capital of the
Southern Confederacy, is situated on the James River,
about 100 miles by water from Chesapeake Bay. During
the war, great importance was attached to its possession
by both the Federals and Confederates, and the former
often attempted its reduction. The obstinacy however,
RICHMOND. 279
with which it was defended, may be seen in the remains
of the strong line of earthworks thrown up around it,
and it was only surrendered after General Lee evacuated
Petersburg in 1865. To prevent the tobacco ware
houses and public stores from falling into the hands of
the Federals, they, together with the bridges over the
James River, were destroyed by fire. In this manner a
considerable portion of the city was burned ; but
directly after the cessation of hostilities, the work of
rebuilding commenced, and Richmond now presents but
few tokens of the conflagration, and is rapidly regaining
its former prosperity.
The city, which is laid out with great regularity, is
built on two eminences called Richmond Hill and
Shocktoe Hill, separated by the Shocktoe Creek.
Crowning the summit of the latter of these hills, and
standing within a small park of some eight acres, is the
State Capitol, a fine edifice with a portico supported on
Ionic columns, the design for which is said to have been
furnished by Thomas Jefferson, after that of the Maison
Carree, at Nismes, in France. Within this building is a
life-size marble statue of Washington, erected by the
Legislative Assembly of Virginia.
Richmond contains some good public buildings, the
best and most prominent being the City Hall, and the
Custom House and Post Office, both of which are hand
some structures. There are also several buildings, to
280 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
which much interest attaches, from having been pro
minently connected with the late Civil War. Such are
the Brockenbrough House, formerly the residence of
Jefferson Davis when President of the Southern Con
federacy, and the Libby and Castle Thunder Prisons, in
which so many Northern prisoners languished in con
finement.
St. John's Church, too, which is a plain edifice, and
dates from ante-revolutionary times, is noted for its
associations with that period, for in it was held the Con
vention to decide upon what course of action the Colony
of Virginia should take in the crisis that had arisen in
the relations between the thirteen Colonies and the
mother-country. On that occasion, it was Patrick Henry's
great speech that mainly contributed to the decision
being arrived at, to cast in its lot with that of the other
Colonies.
The Monumental Church, a handsome edifice with a
fine dome, is erected on the spot where formerly stood
the Richmond Theatre, which was consumed by fire
during a performance, when a great number of people
were killed. It is to commemorate that sad event, that
the Monumental Church was built.
Capitol Square, as the small park in which the Capitol
stands, is called, contains a fine equestrian statue of
Washington. This consists of a massive granite pedestal,
surrounded by bronze figures of Patrick Henry, Thos.
RICHMOND. 28l
Jefferson, John Marshall, George Mason, Thomas Nelson
and Andrew Lewis, surmounted by a colossal bronze
figure of Washington on horseback. In this square there
is also a life-size marble statue of Henry Clay, and as the
little park is well laid out, it forms the great place of
resort of the citizens.
The population of Richmond now amounts to over
60,000, and it possesses a large commerce, its principal
articles of shipment being tobacco and flour. It is the
centre of several industries giving employment to between
four and five thousand men, but its chief support is the
trade in tobacco.
The scenery in the vicinity is very beautiful and one of
the loveliest spots is Hollywood Cemetery, in which,
under the shade of its noble trees, repose the bodies of
so many Confederate soldiers, to whose memory a monu
mental stone pyramid has been erected.
Three fine bridges span the James River, and connect
the city with Spring Hill and a pretty little village called
Manchester, which contains a couple of cotton mills.
At Richmond I embarked in one of the steamers of
the Old Dominion Line and after a rapid and pleasant
run, arrived at New York, having completed a round trip of
some 4,500 miles since leaving it two months previously.
Before taking leave of the South I will briefly mention
the causes that led to its present condition, and what I
found that condition to be.
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After the civil war was at an end, and the Federals
began to reap the fruits of their victory, the confiscation
of the estates of those who had taken part in or abetted
the Secession movement, commenced. The 'result
was, that a great portion of the property in the South
changed hands, and families that had hitherto been
living in affluence, were reduced to poverty. Plantations
were ruined, towns in whole or part destroyed, and
havoc and ruin, that always follow in the track of con
quering armies, were universal. Thus the South, that
had strained every nerve and exhausted all its resources
in the late struggle, from which it had emerged torn and
bleeding, was still more reduced and humiliated, and left
in a yet more prostrate condition, by the action of the
Federal authorities, that is, of the dominant Republican
party ; taken quite independently, and in defiance of the
sanction of the laws. This was the time chosen for the
emancipation of the slaves, and the Southerners had to
learn the bitter lesson, that there was a still lower depth
of humiliation for them, in having their ex-slaves
suddenly converted, not into equals, but into masters
and tyrants ; for at the time the slaves in the South were
emancipated, the franchise was extended to them, long
before it was conceded to the better educated free
negroes of the North. At the time, too, that the
suffrage was granted to the ex-slaves of the South, many
of the whites, who had taken part in the war were
THE SOUTHERN STATES. 283
deprived of their votes ; and many, sick at heart at the
existing state of affairs, migrated to the North : thus the
negroes gained the political ascendancy, which they have
hitherto maintained by force of numbers, and in spite of
the disabilities having been removed from the whites.
The state of the South at present is, that the high-
spirited whites, who made so gallant a struggle against
such overwhelming odds, are now tyrannized over by
their former slaves, and Northern agitators and
demagogues called "carpet-baggers," who are foisted
into power by the negroes, to whose ignorance they
pander. Education and intelligence are thus prostrate
before crass ignorance, and the bitter feeling existing
between whites and blacks is exhibited in deeds of
violence and bloodshed, which causes a large amount of
lawlessness to prevail.
This hostile feeling between the two races is said to be
fomented by the Republican party for the purpose of
retaining the Negro vote. This may or may not be the
case ; but Southerners certainly repudiate with scorn, the
idea of there ever being a war of races ; and profess their
willingness to live at peace with their black fellow-citizens ;
if Northern agitators were prevented from inoculating
them with the communistic theories employed to keep
alive the agitation in favour of the Republican party.
The Negroes, who form the peasantry of the South, are
lazy and generally steeped in poverty, which will go far
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towards decreasing their numbers, especially as it is con
fidently stated that since the war, the number of births
has greatly decreased.
That the South will ever renew the struggle for inde
pendence seems very doubtful, and as the old election
cry of the Republican party, raised for the purpose of
keeping down the South, and suggestively called " the
waving of the bloody shirt," appears to be losing its
potency, it is to be hoped that the existing state of affairs
will soon be amended.
CHAPTER XIX.
NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS.
ENERGY Silence Exclusiveness Extravagance in Language
Extravagance in Dress Low Tone of the Press Absence of
Pauperism Power of Assimilating Foreign Immigration
Diffusion of Education Sobriety Speech Tobacco-Chewing
Notes on Religion.
WHAT first impressed me, after being a short time in
America, was the absence of marked distinctive traits in
the people, and their great resemblance in most ways to
Englishmen ; for much as Northerners may differ from
Southerners, and they again from Western men; their
Englishness, if I may be allowed the expression, is still
very apparent. The cities too, especially in the Eastern
States, are essentially English in their appearance ; and
a visitor to such towns as Philadelphia, Boston, and
Baltimore, might very easily imagine himself to be in
Manchester, Liverpool or Bristol. In Southern cities,
such as New Orleans, this is not so much the case, as
their English characteristics have been modified in
accordance with the climate. Western cities like Chi
cago have, from their newness, a more American appear
ance ; that is, having been built in more recent times,
they have been laid out more regularly ; in many cases
286 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
losing in picturesqueness what they have gained in uni
formity.
One of the most prominent characteristics of Ameri
cans, and one that at once strikes a visitor, is their
tremendous energy. No enterprise seems to be too great
for them to undertake, and no obstacles in the way of
success are allowed to daunt them. It is this energy
that has re-built Chicago and Boston in so incredibly
short a time ; that has formed great cities where but a
few years ago, the axe of the pioneer was ringing amidst
virgin forests ; that has completed an unrivalled railway
system, extending through thinly populated districts, thus
inducing settlement on the land ; and that has carried a
line of rail from the Atlantic to the Pacific, a distance of
more than 3,000 miles, over obstacles that might well
have been deemed insurmountable.
In spite of what I had always heard to the contrary,
the Americans appeared to me to be a silent people. In
few instances, either in the public cars, in the railway
carriages, on steamboats, or on other similar occasions
when numbers of people were brought together, did I
find that I was first addressed. If I even opened a
conversation with my neighbour I usually received at
first monosyllabic replies, until he learned that I was a
stranger visiting the country, when he would become very
communicative.
The better class are exclusive and essentially aristo-
NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS. 287
cratic in their tendencies ; they keep aloof from actual
participation in political life, in order to avoid contact
with the class of people who unfortunately are in office
in the States ; and this in spite of their great stake in the
country and consequent interest in the maintenance of
order. There is a section of the people, generally
belonging to the immigrant class, which is given to
exhibiting its independence and equality, in season and
out of season, and sometimes in a somewhat offensive
manner. Social equality is very admirable, and I, in
common with most, am very willing to concede it, as far
as it can be carried out; but it is very objectionable to
have it thrust upon one in an obnoxious manner, which
is only a form of impoliteness, and tends to destroy those
amenities of social life which are at once a necessity and
ornament of civilized communities. On the other hand
" flunkeyism " prevails to a great extent, the people
generally having an undue admiration for wealthy men,
and being almost servile in their adulation of members
of Royalty and persons of distinction from the Old
World. It was a common thing to see a crowd of
several hundreds of people waiting to see the Emperor
of Brazil enter his carriage ; and when I was on board
the Inman steamer leaving New York harbour, a salute
of thirteen guns was fired from the batteries in honour
of an Indian Major-General then on board. The news
papers too, chronicle the movements of the " upper
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ten" with far more diffusiveness than do their proto
types in England, and they generally contain a whole
column devoted to such fashionable news as : the
lovely brunette Miss B. being about to proceed to
Saratoga for the season ; as Senator C. having taken
a house for the season at Newport ; as the Honourable
A. D. being about to take up his residence, together with
his charming wife, at his country-house on the Hudson,
where he intends entertaining a select circle of his
friends ; and so on ad nauseam. In the Southern States
the pride of descent is very great, but is never exhibited
in an offensive manner. In the Northern and Western
States however, there prevails a great love for titular dis
tinctions of all kinds, and it is common to give people
titles to which they have no claim. I was often addressed
to my astonishment as "Captain" and "Squire"; and
found that people generally were most punctilious in their
use of the " Sir," which they emphasize and use with too
much frequency. This national trait struck rne as being
very much opposed to the Republican idea of equality,
and is held to be a strong argument in favour of the
opinion, that Imperialism may yet carry the day in the
States.
Americans, in speaking, use strong expressions to
describe ordinary events ; everything in the country being
with them either the greatest and biggest in the world, or
so small as to be beneath criticism. They are most
NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS. 289
extravagant in their praise of individuals say of the
leaders of their own party, and unmeasured in their abuse
of members of the opposite one. A man, whose only
crime may be belonging to a different political party, will
have all his private affairs raked up, as if they were public
property, and be spoken of in terms more suited to the
description of a great criminal. To the supporters of his
own party, a political leader will be a demigod to his
opponents a fiend.
The extravagance in dress is equally as great as the
extravagance in language, and is not confined to the
female portion of the community, but is common to both
men and women. I would say that in no country in
the world are the people so well dressed as in America,
for even in a crowd collected for any purpose, political or
otherwise, where the dregs of society, at other times
hidden away in the back slums of the cities, appear on
the surface, it would be difficult to find even one indi
vidual clad in such rags and tatters as are, unfortunately,
so often seen in the large cities of the Old World.
Amongst American women, the passion for dress is a
species of monomania ; they have certainly great taste
in the choice and mode of wearing their attire, but it is
equally certain, that in the majority of cases its excessive
cost is not warranted by, or in conformity with their station
and means. A great deal of the prevalent commercial im
morality may be traced to this passion for dress, combined
20
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with the general high cost of living ; for heads of families
who might otherwise make a fair income, and jog along very
comfortably, in order to enable their wives and daughters
to enter a little into society, in which case they have to
" keep up an appearance," are compelled to toil from
morning till night, and in numberless cases are induced to
enter into speculations outside their legitimate businesses,
for the purpose of increasing their incomes until they
become sufficient for their greater requirements.. This,
as can readily be seen, gives rise to much over-trading
and consequent fraud. People have been pointed out
to me at Saratoga and Long Branch who were known to
have lived quietly for a couple of years, putting by por
tions of their income, and then to have launched out into
fashionable life, where for a season or two they would
be very prominent, and then having come to the end of
their tether, would retire from the scene and settle down
into their former quiet life.
It seemed to me that in the States everybody lives at
high pressure, and that there is a constant craving for
excitement. The newspapers recognize and pander to
this general taste, for their articles are as a rule written
in a highly-spiced and most sensational style and are pre
faced by exciting headings. A low tone pervades the
press generally, and personalities are freely indulged in.
The foreign news is insignificant, as if to the majority
of readers it had no interest; and as regards articles
NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS. 2QT
written upon any event of interest occurring in Europe,
the comments show such want of knowledge of the sub
ject, and are couched in such self-gratulatory and
patronizing language as if the writer were rather amused
at the vain efforts made to attain to the American stand
ard of perfection that they are quite beneath criticism.
This is a great drawback to the pleasure derived from a
visit to the States ; for during his stay, a visitor is literally
cut off from all that is taking place in the world ; and
on his return to Europe he will find that as regards the
history of passing events, his absence has occasioned a
perfect blank in his mind.
It would seem as if the vastness and diversity of their
own great country were all-absorbing to Americans, and
gave rise to this feeling of self-sufficiency ; which, how
ever, cannot be desirable so long as they are dependent
upon Europe for so much of what embellishes their daily
life. How the low tone and virulence of the press
affects the political life of the country will be shown
later on.
A pleasing characteristic of the States is the absence of
pauperism, and this must be more apparent to English
eyes than to those of Colonists, who are accustomed to the
same feature in their own countries. In New York and
some other of the large cities of the Eastern States, I was
several times accosted by beggars but this is certainly
the exception, and*not the rule, and I may safely say that
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throughout the Western and Pacific States I never saw a
mendicant. No doubt, in the large cities there is a
pauper population, however small ; but it is not apparent,
and only consists of those who prefer what Americans
call a "loafing" life to the healthier and happier one of
labour, that is open to all, and by which, those who are
willing to work can obtain a good and respectable
livelihood.
A surprising feature is the rapidity with which the
foreign immigration is assimilated, and many conflicting
elements fused into a distinct nationality. This process
of assimilation is also seen, though in a lesser degree, in
our own Colonies. It is often stated, however, by well
informed Americans, that it does not continue in the
same ratio that it formerly did ; and that in consequence
the large German and Irish immigration is not so readily
absorbed, but preserves more or less its distinctive
characteristics. If such be the case, and I saw no
reason to doubt it, it seems fortunate for the future of
the Great Republic that these two foreign elements are
antagonistic to, and thus tend to neutralize one another.
The attention that is paid to education is most praise
worthy, although the standard is not high ; and it struck
me as being too utilitarian, deficient in refining influences,
and tending to inculcate a certain narrow-mindedness.
It is, however, generally diffused throughout the country;
and though the better class does not attain the high
NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS. 293
standard of the corresponding English middle class, the
lower classes are undoubtedly better educated and far in
advance of our own.
In the above remarks I have referred to the education
obtained in colleges and schools, but I must not omit
the education by means of the numerous galleries of art,
libraries, and scientific and other associations, that are so
numerous in all American towns, even in those of com
paratively small population. The institution of these
libraries, both free and otherwise, is an admirable means
of diffusing knowledge, and one that cannot be too much
admired, especially when conducted on the plan of the
Boston Public Library. This institution contains 260,000
volumes and 100,000 pamphlets, which are, together with
the use of a good reading-room, free to all ; and residents
of the City are allowed to take books home with them.
A visitor to the States must arrive at the conclusion that,
as a people, the Americans are more abstemious than
ourselves ; for although a great deal of drinking takes place
at the numerous bars, yet a drunken man is a rare sight ;
and the streets after dark in most of the cities are quiet
and orderly, forming in that respect a favourable contrast
to those of our own large towns. This is the more
remarkable as very little beer is made in the country,
except the innocuous lager bier ; and people are
therefore forced to drink the wretched Kentucky whiskies.
The consumption of wine is very small, but this is no
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doubt in consequence of its high price ; for strange as it
may appear, the cost of the native wines is quite equal to
that of the imported ; so that what would and ought to
be a good and wholesome beverage for the people at
large, and a means of keeping them from the pernicious
stuff sold under the name of whisky, becomes a luxury
available by the rich only.
In glaring contrast to the general cleanliness of the
people is the filthy habit of tobacco-chewing and con
sequent constant expectoration, which is so common,
that it may almost be called universal ; although I did
not observe that it prevailed to any extent amongst the
better class. Hotels and all public places of resort are
plentifully supplied with spittoons, but the floor is
always covered with discoloured saliva and at first before
a stranger becomes inured to the disgusting custom, he
will often be seized with a feeling of nausea. It seems
strange that the ladies, the greatest sufferers from this
filthy habit, do not take some measures to modify it ; as
at present it prevails to such an extent that no floor, not
even that of the Legislative Hall, is free from its traces.
I should say that as a rule English is equally as well
spoken in America as in England ; for though the nasal
twang is very perceptible amongst certain classes in the
former, it is not more offensive to the ear, than is the
vulgar Cockney pronunciation or the Yorkshire or
Somersetshire provincialisms. Educated Americans speak
NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS. 295
well, with only a slight inflection of the voice at the end
of a sentence ; which causes a slight sing-song intonation.
Of course many expressions, such as " I guess," are
general ; but it is a mistake to suppose, that many of
those put in the mouth of the typical stage Yankee, such
as " You bet" &c. are so. Even amongst Americans of
the lower class, such expressions as " You bet" are looked
upon as provincialisms.
I have elsewhere noticed the prevalence of hotel and
boarding-house life, and the absence of that "home
comfort " so dear to Englishmen ; the want of which acts
detrimentally upon the rising generation.
The Americans are a religious people, judging by the
number of places of worship in the different cities and
the generally strict observance of Sunday, except in a
few places where there is a large foreign population.
There is no State Church, but the Protestant Episcopal
Church corresponding with the Church of England, with
its high and low divisions, seems to appeal more to the
sympathies of the better class, and now that the pew-rent
system which perpetuates class distinctionss in a place of
worship, is being gradually done away with, its scope of
usefulness will be much enlarged. The Church of Rome
as might be expected numbers its adherents amongst the
Irish principally. The leading denominations in the States,
in point of numbers, are the Methodist and Baptist. It
may be mentioned that in the New England States,
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Unitarianism has rapidly increased and Evangelical
principles have in proportion declined ; the former
now numbering amongst its votaries many of the
most intellectual men in the country. New England
too, the land of the Pilgrim Fathers, and where at
one time puritanical austerities were enforced by cruel
enactments and laws, has given birth to the prin
cipal of those religious excrescences of the nineteenth
century, that have sprung up with a fungus-like growth
until in many cases they count their votaries by hundreds
of thousands.
Amongst these out-growths of Puritanism, may be
enumerated Mormonism, Universalism, Spiritualism,
Materialism, Shakerism, and Free-Loveism ; and their
rapid growth show how tired the people must have been
of religious austerities, when such a re-action could take
place as the one that has thrown them by thousands into
the arms of these new beliefs.
CHAPTER XX.
POLITICAL CHARACTERISTICS.
POLITICAL Constitution Effects of Manhood Suffrage Vote by
Ballot Effects of the Virulence of the Press Civil Service
Corruption in the Public Service Venality of Courts of
Justice Reaction Conflicting Authorities in the State
Difficulty of Central Government Political Future of the
United States.
THE Territory of Colorado having lately been admitted
as a State into the Union, the United States now com
prise thirty-nine distinct Republics or States, each of
which is self-governing- under a separate Constitution.
It is in fact a league of Sovereign States, banded together
for mutual protection and benefit, each of which delegates
a portion of its power to a Central Government, legis
lating on matters affecting the whole.
The division of supremacy between the Union and
the States is denned as follows : " The powers delegated
by the Constitution to the Federal Government are few
and defined. Those which are to remain in the State
Governments are numerous and indefinite. The former
will be exercised principally on external objects, as war,
peace, negotiation and foreign commerce. The powers
reserved to the several States will extend to all the
objects which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern
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the internal order and prosperity of the State." There
are however certain general interests which can only be
attended to with advantage, by a general authority, and
thus the Central or Federal Government has been further
invested with the power of controlling the monetary sys
tem, of directing the post-office, of opening the great roads
which establish communication between the different
parts of the country, of legislating on bankruptcy, of
granting patents, and other matters in which its interven
tion is necessary. Lastly, as it was imperative that the
Federal Government should be able to fulfil its engage
ments, it was endowed with an unlimited power of
levying taxes.
The Government of each State is vested in a Gover
nor, elected by the people, and a Legislative Assembly,
consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives.
The Senate is generally a legislative body, but it some
times becomes an executive and judicial one. It assumes
executive power in the nomination of public officers, and
judicial power, in the trial of certain political offences.
The House of Representatives has no share in the
administration, and only partakes in the judicial power
in so far, that it impeaches public officers before the
Senate. The members of the two Houses are elected in
the same manner, and by the same electors. Senators,
however, retain their seats for a longer time than do the
members of the House of Representatives.
POLITICAL CHARACTERISTICS. 299
The Governor is the chief executive officer in the State,
his duties being to lay the wants of the country before
the Legislative body ; to point out means to be usefully
employed in providing for them ; and to see that the
wishes of the people as set forth by their representatives,
are carried out. The Governor is head of the Militia
and the Commander of the regular forces of the State.
Manhood suffrage prevails in each State, without any
qualification, educational or otherwise, except residence
in the State.
The constitution of the Central or Federal Government,
which sits at Washington differs in little from that of the
various State Governments. It consists of the President
of the United States, and a Congress, comprising a
Senate, and a House of Representatives. The Vice-
President is ex-officio President of the Senate, and is
elected in the same manner, and at the same time as the
President ; that is, by electors appointed for the purpose,
by the people of the various States. These electors are
in number equal to the members of the two Houses of
Legislature of the State they represent, and must not be
members of either House. The original intention of the
Constitution was, that the candidates for the Presidency
should be nominated by these electors, but this is not
carried out ; the method of nomination now being as
follows : Conventions are held by the two political
parties in the States, called respectively the Republicans
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and the Democrats, for the purpose of choosing two
from amongst the number of candidates for the Presidency
and Vice-Presidency; who are put forward as the
nominees of the party, and the electors chosen by the
people, are pledged to vote for the nominees of that
party, by a majority of which he has been elected. The
result of this innovation is, that there is not that secrecy,
and inviolability, about the election, that was originally
aimed at, and for six months before it takes place, there
is a political ferment, and excitement, throughout the
country, that cannot but be detrimental ; as, during that
time, legislation may be said to be practically at a
standstill.
The President is elected for four years and is eligible
for re-election. He can veto any act passed by the two
branches of the Legislature, but if passed a second time
by a majority of two-thirds, it becomes law.
Senators to the Upper House have the title of
Honourable ; their term of office is six years, and they
are chosen not by the people direct, but by the Legisla
tures of the various States ; two being elected by each
State in its sovereign capacity, irrespective of area or
population; thus Rhode Island with an area of 1,306
square miles, and a population of under 240,000, returns
the same number as New York State, that contains
46,000 square miles, and 4,500,000 inhabitants.
Representatives to the Lower House, who retain their
POLITICAL CHARACTERISTICS. 301
seats for two years, are elected by the people at large, in
the proportion of one, to every 120,000 of the population.
Secretaries of State and other Executive officers are
chosen by the President, and have no seat in Congress ;
so that the opinions of the President and his ministers
can only penetrate into Congress indirectly. The
President selects persons to fill posts in the civil service,
but his nominations have to be approved and ratified by
the Senate. The President, in common with all other
Executive officers, can be impeached by the House of
Representatives before the Senate; and, if convicted,
can be debarred from occupying any office in the State.
The entire judicial power of the Federal Government,
by which it enforces its laws, is centred in one tribunal,
denominated the Supreme Court of the United States.
To facilitate the expedition of business, inferior Courts
were appended to it, which were empowered to decide
causes of small importance without appeal, and with
appeal, causes of more magnitude.
The Supreme Court of the United States consists of a
Chief Justice and eight Associate Judges, nominated by
the President, acting with the consent of the Senate.
In order that these judges shall be independent, their
office is declared inalienable, and their salary, when once
fixed, cannot be altered by the Legislature. The
Supreme Court has the power of determining all questions
of jurisdiction arising in the States.
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Each of the judges of the Supreme Court annually
visits a certain portion of the Republic, in order to try
the most important causes upon the spot : the Court
presided over by this judge is called the Circuit Court.
The Union is also divided into districts, to each of
which a resident Federal judge is appointed, and the
Court which he presides over is termed a District Court.
In addition to these Federal Courts, each State has its
own complete judicial system, by means of which
obedience is exacted to the State laws, and the life and
property of citizens protected.
The theory of the American Constitution is grand in
principle, the intention being the government of the
people by the people, in such manner, as to attain the
greatest happiness of the greatest number. It is sad
therefore, that such a large amount of corruption has
been allowed to creep into the public service, to render
the grand system of Government almost nugatory.
This has been brought about by a variety of causes,
foremost amongst which, is Manhood or Universal
Suffrage without an educational qualification, the conse
quences of which are that the votes of that large section
of the people corresponding with our middle-class, who
have a stake in the country, and a consequent interest in
maintaining order, are swamped by those of the large
uneducated Irish-immigrant class and of the Negroes.
The better class, consisting for the most part of born
POLITICAL CHARACTERISTICS. 303
Americans of good education and means, finding them
selves thus outvoted, withdraw entirely from political
affairs. As is usual too, when the franchise is extended to
an uneducated class, the people composing it, are led by
demagogues and stump orators ; and the use of their voting-
power is not regarded by them in the light of a duty
devolving upon every citizen of a State, to be con
scientiously performed, but is looked upon solely as
possessing a marketable value, and is sold accordingly, in
the same manner as any other of their possessions.
Thus election frauds are of such common occurrence in
America, and the system of vote-by-ballot, if anything,
tends to increase them.
The system of vote-by-ballot was instituted to ensure
secrecy of election, but the mode in which it is carried
out causes it to fail in attaining this object. Two
differently-coloured voting-papers are used, one for the
Republican candidates and the other for the Democratic,
denominated the party " ticket ;" hence the expression
4< voting for a particular ticket." The voter strikes out
the names of the candidates he does not wish to vote for;
gives in his name, which is checked by the Returning
Officer, from a list of the registered voters ; and deposits
his "ticket" in the ballot-box, open, to prevent the
possibility of two being folded together. It will be seen,
that this voting system is anything but secret, and
consequently no protection against bribery.
304 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
It is now nineteen years since a committee reported
to the Assembly of New York State that the ballot " still
fails to be a true reflection of the will of the people," and
since then, things would seem to have remained in statu
quo, in spite of the registry laws enacted by the Legisla
ture of that State in 1865 ; for the following were
enumerated, by a committee appointed to enquire into
the conduct of the elections of 1868, as being the most
prominent frauds in connection with it perpetrated in
the City and State of New York :
" I. Many thousands of aliens fraudulently procured, or were
furnished with certificates of naturalization illegally or
fraudulently issued, by means of which they were
enabled to register as voters and voted in violation of
law."
" 2. Many hundreds of certificates of naturalization were granted
in the names of fictitious persons, to be used by native-
bern and naturalized citizens and aliens in falsely
registering as voters, and to enable them to vote many
times at the election."
" 3. Many hundreds of persons voted in New York City from
two to forty times or more, each under assumed or
fictitious names fraudulently registered for the purpose."
" 4. Extensive frauds were committed in canvassing tickets, and
names of voters were registered on the poll-lists, and
democratic tickets counted as if voters representing them
voted, when no such persons voted at all. "
"5. To accomplish these frauds, gross neglect of duty and
disregard of law so great as to evince a criminal purpose
prevailed in some of the courts, while officers and
democratic partizans of almost every grade, either by
POLITICAL CHARACTERISTICS. 305
official influence or otherwise, aided, sanctioned, or knew
of and failed to prevent them. The same influences
shielded the perpetrators in nearly all cases from detec
tion or arrest, and when arrested they have, through the
agency of judicial officers and others charged with the
duty of prosecution, escaped all punishment."
" 6. Through these agencies the democratic electors of President
and Vice-President and the democratic candidate for
governor of the State of New York were fraudulently
elected."
" 7. And the investigations of the committee show that existing
State laws and the mode of enforcing them are wholly
inadequate to prevent these frauds, but that Congress
has the power to enact laws which, if faithfully executed,
will, to some extent furnish remedies hereafter. "
" There is no law of Congress professing to prevent or punish
frauds in voting or conducting elections ; and the penal
ties relating to certificates of naturalization are by no
means adequate. "
The above excerpt from the State paper refers to frauds
in connection with the State of New York, but the report
states that Maryland, Louisiana, and other States have
presented phases of the same evil. It must also be
borne in mind, that although the above report refers to
Democratic frauds, that the Republicans are charged
by their opponents with like mal-practices, and it is
generally conceded that they are tarred with the same
brush.
The press acts very prejudicially against the public
service of the country, and the effects of its virulence in
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306 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
respect to public men, are seen in the fact, that the business
of politics has sunk in public estimation, and men of the
better class keep aloof from it. All offices in the State
consequently fall into the hands of second-class men,
to whom the salary and perquisites of office are of vital
importance.
The Civil Service of the country is not a fixed one, and
all office holders in it retire at every new Presidential
election ; the vacant posts being filled by the supporters
and friends of the new President. It must be apparent,
that this cannot be conducive to the proper conduct of
the various State Departments ; for as a new Presidential
Election takes place every four years, a person appointed
to an office under government has just time to learn the
routine of his work, when he has to retire, and make
room for a successor, who has no knowledge of the duties
he is about to undertake. To this may be attributed in
a great measure the frightful extravagance that pervades
every State Department and as far as my own experience
of one of them the Post Office goes, I can only say if
the others are not better managed, then they are a
disgrace to such a country as the United States ; for I
lost more letters during my short stay in America, than I
have ever done before, and the difficulty I experienced in
obtaining foreign letters addressed to me at the Post
Office, was simply atrocious. On one occasion the
mail had arrived from Australia, and expecting letters, I
POLITICAL CHARACTERISTICS. 307
went to the Post Office after the mail had been delivered,
and friends of mine were already in possession of their
communications. After answering the enquiry whence
I expected my letters, I was told there were none for me,
but not satisfied with this assurance I again went in the
afternoon and received the same reply. Insisting however
that there must be one or more for me I got the clerk again
to look, and sure enough this time he managed to find
three for me, two that had arrived by the Australian mail,
and one by the English. At that very time there must
have been two more letters of mine lying in the office,
but they never came to hand. Certainly I would not
like to say without more data, that the other Departments
are managed in the same manner, but in any case it
cannot be desirable, that the President should have such
an undue amount of patronage in his gift as the nomination
to forty thousand offices in the State, as is the case at the
present time.
I have attempted to point out the various causes that
have served to bring about the present corrupt state of
affairs in the United States, and I will now mention
what, from observation I found that state of affairs
to be.
From one end of the country to the other complaints
are general of the corruption that pervades every
Government Department, and everybody with whom I
came in contact seemed persuaded that votes are bought
38 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
and sold ; that gross bribery and other mal-practices
prevail at all elections ; that the very fountains of justice
are polluted and judgments sold to the highest bidder.
Now these complaints are not confined to a class or
section of the people, but are universal, being attributed
by the Republicans to the Democrats, and vice-versa.
Certain it is that the maxim prevails " to the victors
belong the spoils," and if say, a Republican President be
elected, then all the offices in the State are filled by his
own supporters, who, knowing that they are only in power
for four years, are consequently less able to resist the temp
tation to " feather their nests" in that time. More especi
ally so, since it seems to be considered part of the existing
political creed, that as office holders are appointed by
the President the representative of the majority, from the
majority, they are justified in enriching themselves at the
expense of the minority. Thus it is that Americans
distrust their public men, and impute to them dishonesty,
as a matter of course, without pausing to inquire whether
there be any grounds for such a charge.
The same accusations of venality extend to those
Courts of Justice the Judges of which are appointed by
the State Legislature, and it is universally believed by
Americans that, if a criminal only be a wealthy man, it is
almost a matter of impossibility to obtain a conviction
against him. It is not the Judges alone who are accused
of being venal, but Juries in the States are supposed to
POLITICAL CHARACTERISTICS. 369
be particularly open to convincing proofs of innocence,
when conveyed in that peculiar chinking metallic sound
that carries with it such weight and conviction. Persons
have been pointed out to me, in various cities in the
States, walking about at large (in consequence of their
having notoriously bribed the persons appointed to try
them), who, at some time or other, had been on their
trial for offences committed, concerning whose criminality
no moral doubt could exist, and who, in any other civi
lized country in the world, would have been working out
a sentence to a long term of imprisonment.
It seemed to me, however, that a great re-action was
taking place in public opinion, for there seemed to be a
general desire for reform, and the Conventions recently
held at Cincinnati and St. Louis for the purposes of
choosing the Republican and Democratic candidates for
the Presidency and Vice-Presidency, have nominated
good men in both cases. It is generally hoped which
ever party succeeds in getting its candidate elected,
that the new President will have the moral courage
to sever himself from the traditions of his party, and
to devote himself to the bringing about of the much
desired reforms in the public service. He will have
an opportunity of gaining the goodwill of his fellow-
citizens ; of making for himself a niche in history, and of
having his name handed down to posterity with that of
Lincoln as a benefactor of his country. Sincere well-
310 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
wishers of the great Republic, and those who believe in
its great destinies, must hope that this reform movement
is not a temporary excitement incidental to a Presidential
election, that may wear away and allow affairs to remain
in statu quo.
The weakness of the constitution of the United States
seems to be in the existence of two conflicting authorities
in the government, viz., the Central or Federal, and the
various State Legislatures ; for, as each State in the
Union is self-governing, and the powers of the central
authority are prescribed within somewhat narrow limits,
the latter cannot be strong, nor have the same power as
other national governments, that do not possess a
divided authority in the State. Nor is it advisable for
the maintenance of the Union, that such should be the
case, except for defence against foreign aggression; for
the country has increased so rapidly that it now covers
an area of more than three and a half millions of square
miles, that is, a larger area than the whole of Europe.
Such an immense tract of country, with its diversity of
climate, naturally produces conflicting interests : thus it
is easy to see that the interests of the North, the great
manufacturing centre, would be different to those of the
South, the resources of which consist in its cotton,
tobacco, and other products of a tropical or semi-
tropical zone ; that these again would be opposed to the
interests of the great West, the grain-producing States,
POLITICAL CHARACTERISTICS. 3! I
and still more widely diverge from those of the Pacific
States, whose principal resources lie in their great mineral
wealth. Now the difficulty experienced by a Central
Government in legislating for such antagonistic interests
is abundantly shown in the working of the protective
tariff imposed by the Federal Government for revenue
purposes, and also as a means of paying off the National
Debt contracted during the late civil war. The effects
of this measure, are to increase the cost of all manu
factured articles throughout the country, and more
especially to benefit the North, at the expense of the
West and South. It must be plain therefore that were
the powers of the Federal Government enlarged and it
had to enact laws, say for the sale of the land, throughout
the country, that similar results would be produced, as
has been the case with the tariff; that is, some of the
States would be benefited at the expense of the others.
It would seem therefore, that the continuance of the
Union depends upon, and its interests are best served by,
maintaining the Sovereignty of the various States.
The Republican or as it might be called the Radical
party which comprises the people in the New England
and Middle States, and a large proportion of those in the
Western appears however, to aim at centralization ; that
is, the formation of an undivided Republic governed from
Washington, and with this end in view continually over
rides the Constitution in its attempts to subvert State
312 TRANS-PACIFIC SKETCHES.
Independence. This was the cause of the late civil
war \ for the Southerners fought for State Rights, including
the power to secede from the Union ; which the
Northerners wished to maintain in its integrity. It does
not require a prophet to foretell that if the system of
centralization be extended, as it undoubtedly will be if
the Republican party remain in power, that the civil war
will be repeated, and will end more disastrously for the
Union than the last ; for as it required the combined power
of the Northern and Western States, to put down the rising
in the South, it may easily be conceived that it would be
quite impossible for the Northern States alone successfully
to combat the Western, with the moral support they would
have from the Southern and Pacific States.
At present such an eventuality is not thought of, but
I have heard many enlightened Americans express their
abhorrence of the existing state of affairs, which does not
properly protect life and property ; which cannot prevent
justice from being bought and sold; and which allows
corruption to creep like a cancer into the public service.
I have heard too, many declare their preference for the
tyranny of one, rather than of a number, and express their
opinion, that an absolute Imperialism would even be
preferable to the evils of party domination.
Centralization would I believe be the death-knell of
the Union, and taking into consideration the vast size of
the country and what the population at its present rate of
POLITICAL CHARACTERISTICS. 313
increase will amount to, say twenty years hence, it is a
moot point whether the interests of the people would not
be better served, and civilization generally be more
benefited, by the formation of three distinct Governments
say a Northern, a Southern, and a Western.
There seems however to be no reason why the Union
should not be maintained, if State Sovereignty be pro
perly recognized; especially if the better class of the
people would take a more prominent part in the govern
ment, and when the evils of Universal Suffrage are
modified by the effects of the diffusion of education.
THE END.
Walker, May, and Co., Printers, g Mackillop-street, Melbourne.
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