CHAPTER XIV.

Upon the spot where the frigate Brandywine, which carried Gen. La Fayette to France, was built, the keel of a new frigate was laid, and at the same time the foundation for a house over this new ship was begun. The ground being very moist, this building is erected on piles. Opposite the entrance of the navy-yard, stands a rostral column of white marble with allegoric figures. It was erected by the officers and midshipmen of the navy of the United States, to commemorate the death of their comrades who fell in the attack of Tripoli. The English, at the time of their taking possession of Washington, on the 25th of June, 1814, broke the fingers of one hand belonging to the allegoric figure representing America, and destroyed the stylus in the hand of the muse of history. This inscription has been added to the column: “mutilated by the British.” At the foot of the monument stand two Spanish brass twenty-four pounders, taken by the Americans at Tripoli.In this, as well as in other American navy-yards, there are several buildings. I found large forges where chain-cables are made, and tried in the same manner I had witnessed two years ago in Newbridge, South Wales. All the old copper taken from the ships is melted, and with an alloy of brass, converted into utensils of every description used on board ships; a steam-engine of fourteen horse-power moves a saw-mill, consisting of two large and several smaller circular saws, as also, machines for block-making, which however, can by no means be compared with Brunel’s block machine in Portsmouth; in the little arsenal are the muskets, swords, &c. I observed a contrivance on the locks of the guns to insulate the priming, and secure it in dampweather. I saw also a kind of repeating musket with two locks, one behind the other. With such muskets, by means of the anterior lock, twelve consecutive discharges can be produced, and these being over, the gun is loaded again like an ordinary infantry musket, and fired by means of the lowest lock. After the anterior lock is fired, all the remaining shots incessantly follow, and cannot be withheld at will, as it is the case with the repeating gun bought by me in New York, already described. It is yet unknown how this successive firing can be obtained. Captain Booth showed me also double screws of his own invention, the object of which is to supply the place of ordinary lanyards for ships. This officer has obtained a patent for his contrivance, and it has been adopted, for experiment, in the frigate Brandywine; in the same navy-yard is a laboratory, under the arsenal, where the necessary fire-works for the artillery are made. The place seemed to me to be ill chosen, since an explosion that may easily happen in such an establishment, might cause most terrible consequences to the navy-yard.Over the Potomac there is a long wooden bridge, built upon ordinary cross-beams. I measured it, and found it to be fifteen paces broad, and one thousand nine hundred long. My paces being to the ordinary ones in the relation of four to five, it may be assumed that it is about two thousand three hundred and seventy-five paces in length. It required nineteen minutes to walk from one end to the other. Every foot-passenger pays six cents. This bridge astonishes by its length, but not at all in its execution, for it is clumsy and coarse. Many of the planks are rotten, and it is in want of repair; it has two side-walks, one of them is separated from the road by a rail. It is lighted by night with lanterns. It is provided with two drawbridges, in order to let vessels pass. It grew dark before I returned home, and was surprised at the stillness of the streets, as I scarcely met an individual.Patents of invention are issued from the patent-office; whoever wishes to obtain a patent for an invention, is obliged to deliver a model or an accurate drawing of it. These models are exposed in an appropriate place, where they remain until the expiration of the time for which the patents are granted; they are then put into the lumber-room. Among such models, there certainly is a great number of things of little importance, as for instance, a contrivance for peeling apples; there are also ninety-six models for making nails in different ways, but some of them very remarkable. The most interesting models of machinery seemed to me to be those intended to remove mud from the bottoms of rivers, and canals, or to make them deeper. One of them consists of an ordinary steam-boat; with her they go to the spot where they are to work; arrived at the spot they cast anchor,stop the two water-wheels, and with an apparatus which is moved by the engine, draw the mud from the bottom. According to another model, the same operation can be performed by means of a draw-wheel. A great many models are intended to separate seed from cotton, to beat, spin, and weave it; none of them, however, are reputed to be superior to the known English machines.Of steam-engines and steam-boats there are a great many models of very singular form, also steam-boats with rotatory motions; they however do not answer the purpose. I saw patterns of railways, and models of machines to draw boats from a lower canal into a higher one, by help of an inclined plane. Then two models of floating covered batteries. One of them was an oblong case, in which is fixed a steam-engine, giving to two long iron bars a rotatory motion. These bars, like two clock-hands, projecting off the deck, are intended to keep off a boarding enemy. A model to compress leaden bullets, in order to give them more weight. A great number of household and kitchen apparatus, fire-places of different descriptions, an earth-augur for seeking water, fire-engines of various kinds, a fire-proof roof, contrived by a German, several machines to make bricks, instruments by means of which, in navigating the Mississippi, trees lying under water can be taken hold of and sawed to pieces without stopping the vessel in its course, machinery to bore holes in rocks, and others to hoist rocks out of water; the machine contrived in London by Perkins to print with steel; models of book printing-presses; models for combing wool, and dressing woollen stuffs; fan-mills; leather manufacturing instruments, and among others, an instrument for splitting hides; a great number of agricultural instruments, namely, a great many ploughs for every kind of soil, invented by Germans; machines for mowing grass, for thrashing and cutting straw. Among the most important machines, I will mention one for making blocks, which is considered not to be inferior in any respect to that of Brunel, in Portsmouth, and another which renders steeping of flax unnecessary, and yet fits it after fourteen days drying to be broken and heckled. For permission to take a copy of the machine, one must pay ten dollars to the inventor. I ordered two copies; one for the Agricultural Society of Ghent, and another to present to my father. Several fine models of bridges, especially of hanging ones, among others, one of the bridges in Trenton, near Philadelphia, and another of that near Fayetteville, in North Carolina; also one of a hanging bridge, under which is suspended a canal passing over the river. Respecting arms I did not find much improvement. There was also a triangle of steel, weighing six pounds, upon which three different hammers struck, to supply the place of church bells. This ringingis said to be heard at a great distance. It has been introduced in several places to assemble the people.The patent-office is in the same building with the post-office. They pointed out to me two large gilt frames with the arms of France and Navarre. They hung before the catastrophe of 1814, in the house of the president, and contained full length portraits of Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette, which were presented in 1783, by those unfortunate monarchs to the United States, at their especial desire. Both portraits suddenly disappeared, and it is believed that it happened in 1814, when the English made their unexpected visit to Washington, and burnt down the house of the president.The patent-office is under the direction of Dr. Thornton,I.30who is an able draughtsman. Under Dr. Thornton, a Swiss is employed, whose name is Keller, a very able mechanic, and inspector of the model room, who explained every thing to me. Dr. Thornton was so kind as to accompany me to a sculptor, who, by means of casting a mould upon the face, obtains a striking resemblance, and has made busts of the first American statesmen, &c.I arranged a party to the Falls of Potomac, with Mr. De Bresson, sixteen miles distant, where we were accompanied by Mr. Huygens, Jr. On the 6th of November, at nine o’clock, we left Washington and went five miles upon a very rough road, along the left bank of the river, which is at first very broad. Both shores are hilly and covered with wood, for the most part hickory and different species of oak. Of the primitive woods nothing is to be seen, for generally the wood is second growth. The banks soon became rocky, and we observed even in the river some projecting rocks. On the left shore they have dug a canal, this, however is too narrow, and only navigable by long boats, resembling the Durham-boats on the St. Lawrence river. In these boats, wood, lumber, stones, especially mill-stones, and the harvest from the upper countries, are carried to Washington.Five miles above the city, we went over, on a hanging bridge, to the right shore. The chains consist of bars of wrought iron. The bridge itself is of wood, as well as the two cross-beams standing on its extremities, through which the chains are passed; these cross-beams form a kind of entrance, having an Egyptian appearance. The length of the bridge is about one hundred and sixteen feet, its breadth sixteen feet. A rather high toll is paid for passing it; we paid a dollar and a half for a carriage with two horses, for going and coming. The road, passing almost incessantlythrough a wood, became a little better after we arrived at the other side of the bridge. It was called a turnpike road, but still it continued hilly. We passed but a single inn, and saw but a single country house, which belonged to Commodore Jones, whose daughter became a Catholic and a nun, in a convent at Georgetown; this occurrence produced a great sensation in the United States. Most of the people we met with, were tattered negroes, who humbly saluted us. We were now in the state of Virginia, in the vicinity of the falls; when the road became very bad, we left our vehicle and went on foot through the forest, to see this natural curiosity, whose noise made us sensible of its proximity.The river runs here over a rocky bed, and is about three hundred paces wide; in the dry season it is a great deal narrower. It forms several distinct falls, none of them above fifty feet high. Theyrecallto memory Glenn’s Falls on the Hudson, between Lake George and Saratoga. We crept about in the labyrinth of broken rocks, not without danger or difficulty, in order to obtain different views of these falls. The sun was shining upon them at the time, and afforded us the sight of several rainbows; we soon felt ourselves richly rewarded for our pains.In order to avoid these falls, a canal with locks has been made on the right shore. The canal passing through the rocks, is in some places dug down more than fifty feet. We, unfortunately, had chosen Sunday for our excursion; the inhabitants were gone to church, and there was nobody to give us the necessary explanations. There was no vegetation on the rocks about the falls, except some broom and single clover. We saw also upon the rock a creeping cactus plant, resembling the cochineal cactus, with small pear-shaped fruit, which contained a purple-red slimy juice. This plant gave me the first sign of my approach to the south. We returned to Washington by the road we came. Notwithstanding the late season, it was as warm as in midsummer.The capitol is a really imposing building. When it is once surrounded by handsome buildings, it will produce a fine effect. It is built of white marble, and has three domes; the largest is over the rotunda, and the two smaller over the wings. The capitol stands on an acclivity, and in front is three stories high, and on the back, which is opposite the president’s mansion, four stories high. In front is the entrance, with a portal of Corinthian columns; on the back part there is a large balcony, decorated with columns. The entrance under the portal is a little too low.In the centre of the building, under the principal dome is a large circular hall, receiving light from the roof. Pictures are to be placed in this hall, under the bas-reliefs. One of these represents the deliverance of Captain Smith, commander of thefirst English settlement in Virginia, by the Indian Princess Pocahontas; another is an allegory, representing the landing of European emigrants. Behind this hall is a large saloon, contiguous to the balcony, which contains the library of Congress. During the English incursion in 1814, the library was destroyed by fire; the present library has been gradually collected since, and consists in great part of the late President Jefferson’s books. Under the large hall is a small one, supported by three rows of columns, not unlike a family tomb. It receives its light from above, by a round opening in the floor of the large hall, and serves as a passage. It has been proposed to place there the coffin of the greatWashington. No principal staircase is yet built, but a great number of smaller ones. The interior is altogether very angular. Columns and corridors are numerous in all the lateral galleries and saloons; the capitals of the columns are mostly of Egyptian taste, and the models seem to have been taken from the “description de l’Egypte.” In the corridor leading to the senate chamber, are columns, the shafts of which represent a bunch of stalks of Indian corn, and the capitals the fruit of the same plant. In the wings on the right hand side from the entrance, is the senate chamber, the offices belonging to it, the office of the president, and session room of the supreme court of the United States. This, and the senate chamber, are built in a semicircular form. In the centre is a place for the presiding officer. The members of the senate have their seats amphitheatrically arranged; every one has a chair, and before him a small mahogany desk. In this wing are hung the four pictures by Trumbull, which are hereafter to be placed in the rotunda. One of them represents the Declaration of Independence: there is a very fine engraving of this picture; another, the surrender of General Burgoyne to General Gates, near Saratoga; the third, the capitulation at Yorktown, and the filing off of the English between the American and French army; the fourth, the resignation of General Washington, and laying down of his commission to congress on the 23d of December, 1783. The portraits are said to be striking likenesses. As to the composition and execution of these pictures, the first makes one think of the pedantic school of Benjamin West, and the otherloosesby faint colouring. The painter was, moreover, placed under restraint by want of taste in his countrymen for the fine arts, who resemble, in that respect, their English ancestors: the posture of almost every single person having been prescribed him.In the other wing of the building is the hall of representatives, likewise in form of an amphitheatre, and the offices belonging to it. In this hall is a full length portrait of General La Fayette. The ceiling of this saloon, like that of the senate chamber, andsupreme court room, is supported by doric columns, whose shafts are of pudding-stone. The gallery above the principal dome, affords a very extensive view. The principal avenues of the city, which is to be built, all depart from this point, and this view recalls the situation of the castle at Carlsruhe, with this difference, that here no wood, and but few houses are seen.With the families de Mareuil, St. André, Huygens, and all the French legation, we made an excursion by water to Mount Vernon, the country-seat of the great Washington. Mount Vernon is situated sixteen miles from the capitol, and on the right bank of the Potomac, in the state of Virginia. We hired a steam-boat for the purpose, on board of which we went at half past ten o’clock, at Georgetown. We went across the long bridge through an opening of a double drawbridge, and steered down the Potomac. Washington remaining on our left, had a very handsome appearance from the water, and especially the cape, named Greenleaf’s point, situated at the junction of the east branch with the Potomac, which is fortified, and contains very spacious storehouses. Eight miles below Washington, we stopped at the city of Alexandria, lying on the right bank of this river, in order to obtain a boat for landing at Mount Vernon. Alexandria is one of the three cities of the district of Columbia, which are Washington, Georgetown, and Alexandria. This town is said to have a considerable commerce; it has a harbour with wooden wharves, near which I saw several schooners lying, and also two brigs. It is said to contain about eight thousand inhabitants. The streets are long and very straight, crossing each other at right angles. After a stay of twenty minutes, we continued our course. Both banks are hilly, in some places rocky; there is a great deal of gravel, and they are covered with wood. At a winding of the stream we passed by Fort Washington, recently built upon a rock on the left bank, commanding the stream with its batteries. In an oblique direction on the opposite shore, we at last perceived Mount Vernon, beautifully situated. The water near the banks being very low, the steam-boat stopped in the middle of the stream, about a mile from the shore, and we landed in boats. We ascended by a very bad road to a place where cattle were grazing, which I heard was formerly Washington’s garden. Between three oaks and some cypress trees, we saw a coarse wooden door about four feet high, in a very bad piece of masonry. I thought at first it was a spring-house. How great was my astonishment, when I learned that this was the entrance to the sepulchral vault of the greatest man of his time; the ornament of his age; ofWashington!I picked up some acorns fallen from the trees which shaded the tomb; my object was to plant them when I returned home.I took also from this sacred spot a twig of a cypress tree. The tomb is no longer opened, since strangers have nearly cut to pieces the whole of the pall covering the coffin, in order to preserve it as a relic. It was last opened at the time of General La Fayette’s visit.Thence we went to the dwelling-house, about three hundred paces distant, and situated on a hill, from which there is an extremely fine view of the Potomac. This estate belongs to Judge Washington, who, being absent upon business connected with his office the greatest part of the year, permits his inherited property to decay very much. He has no children. The house is two stories high, built of wood, and without taste. On the side next the river, it has a piazza, and on the other, is the entrance with stone steps, which are almost decayed. By means of a wooden colonade, the house communicates right and left with the wings and household buildings. Farther on, are houses for negro slaves, of whose dirty, ugly, and ragged children, we saw a great many running about. It being Sunday, we had much difficulty in finding access to the house; at last we succeeded in getting into the lower story, which has been left nearly in the same condition it was at the decease of its great possessor. But the number of books belonging to the library, has been increased by many new works by the present proprietor. A great many fine engravings decorate the walls, especially a very handsome Louis XVI. which Washington was presented with by that unfortunate monarch. On the gilt frame above, are the arms of France, and below, those of Washington’s family. In the four corners are the cyphers of the king and G. W. There are also two very good engravings, representing the battle of Bunker’s Hill, and the death of General Montgomery; four views of the attack of Gibraltar and its defence, and a miniature portrait of the great man painted on enamel. One of the keys of the Bastille, sent after its destruction by General La Fayette to Washington, is exposed in a case of glass, under it is a sepia drawing of the demolition of that prison. The furniture and other regulations of the rooms, are very plain; in the eating-room I observed a valuable chimneypiece of Italian marble, with handsome bas-reliefs, and two columns ofgallo-antico.It is known that when General La Fayette was visiting Washington’s burial place, an eagle made his appearance in the air and hovered over the spot until the general had proceeded farther. We also observed to day a very large one, which seemed to observe us from the height; we saw him above us when we were embarking. He seemed to hover over the same spot for a long while, and when the last boat came near the steam-boat, he suddenly left the place, flew towards the wood, and was lost to sight.In our travelling company, I became acquainted with Count Miot, who had formerly been minister of the interior in Naples, and afterwards in Spain, under Joseph Buonaparte, and now was travelling for pleasure, and to visit his ancient master. Mr. De Mareuil detained all the gentlemen of our party to dinner at his house, and we remained there till ten o’clock, very much pleased. At a ball given by Baron Mareuil, more than two hundred persons, the members of the diplomatic body, the first authorities of the country, and the principal inhabitants, were present. I met with General Bernard, and became acquainted with General Brown, an aged man, whose right side appeared to be palsied. The most interesting acquaintances I made, were those of Commodore Porter, whose name, as well as the important services he rendered to his country, and his late trial, have rendered him known to the world, and of Colonel Roberdeau, of the engineers. I became farther acquainted with Mr. Calvert, who told me his son had studied in Göttingen and had some time ago travelled to Weimar, where he was presented at court and was very well received. The ladies were very elegantly dressed, and danced very well. They danced mostly French quadrilles, but always with the same figures. The music was good, and by the marine band of the garrison. The ball, however, did not last long; I was one of the last to go, and came home at eleven o’clock. The president was not there; he does not accept any invitation in the city. The present president receives even the foreign ministers only when they have been announced by the secretary of state. The president is likewise exempt from returning visits, which he had already the kindness to give me notice of by Mrs. Sullivan, in Baltimore.Another ball was given by General Brown, in honour of the marriage of Captain Gardner, of the fourth regiment of artillery. The gentlemen I found there were mostly officers of the army. There is scarcely an army in Europe in which the corps of officers is better composed than in the small American army; since in the United States no one can on any account be an officer, if he is not well educated. The officers are exclusively taken from the military academy in West Point; no subaltern officer is promoted. The greater part of the inferior officers who were advanced during the last war, had been dismissed. Such a measure is in this country unavoidably necessary, where none but people of the lowest class enlist as soldiers in the army; without such an interval between the officers and the rank and file, discipline could not be maintained. Therefore, if a young man is seen in the uniform of an American officer, it may with confidence be inferred that he is in every respect fit to maintain his place in the best society.At the third ball, given by Mr. Huygens, we once more metwith a very pleasant company. I conversed a long time with Lieutenant Wolf Tone, of the first regiment of artillery. He is an Irishman by birth, educated in a French military school. He had been formerly in the French service, and is patronised by General Bernard.At a visit I made to General Macomb and Major Vandeventer, at the war-office, the general showed me many drawings and plans of fortresses and entrenchments, together with two remarkable lists sent in every month from West Point by Lieutenant-Colonel Thayer. One of them contains the names of the best and worst cadets in every class, and the other the names of those who deserve to be rewarded, as well of others who have been punished, with indication of their faults; finally, of those who have been expelled, and the reason of their expulsion. Both lists are put in frames, under glass, and hung up in the general’s office; one is changed every fortnight, and the other every month. I was told by the general, that they saved him frequently from wasting conversation with the parents of the cadets.The general conducted me also to the topographical office, being under the direction of Colonel Roberdeau. I found there several repeating circles, theodolites and telescopes, made by Troughton and Ramsden; also two transit instruments, destined for the observatory which is still to be built; an instrument by Troughton, which serves for measuring the ten-thousandth part of an English inch, and a model measure of the English yard, French mètre and litre. This gentleman regretted that the old English measures and weights are retained in the United States, instead of adopting, as it has been done in the Netherlands, the new French standard, which is much better.There were also several good plans of battles and sieges of the revolutionary war, namely, those of the old fortresses Ticonderoga and Crownpoint, on Lake Champlain. I missed the most recent drawings. On the other hand, General Macomb showed me what they call the Indian department, where all business with the Indian tribes is attended to. There we found portraits of a great many Indian chiefs, and several of their wives, who have been at different periods in Washington, in order to compliment the president. They then receive medals according to their rank, which they wear by a riband round the neck. There were also several weapons and different ornaments of tribes I had already seen. Finally, I visited the ordnance department, which is under the direction of a colonel. I saw here a gun invented by Mr. Hall, at Harper’s Ferry, which is loaded from the breech, and with which five sure shots can be made in a minute. With this gun, three thousand discharges had been made, and it has provedvery exact; several have been ordered, and one or two companies are to be armed with them in case of war.At a dinner given by the president, and at which I had the honour along with about forty persons, to be present, were the diplomatic body, the state secretaries, several generals, and other persons of distinction. Among them, I made the acquaintance of Mr. Gaillard,I.31of North Carolina, president pro tem. of the senate. No ladies were present, because Mrs. Adams was not well. The table furniture was very rich. I was particularly pleased with a service of silver gilt. The eating-room is very spacious, besides which there were two richly furnished rooms open. I remarked several handsome Sèvres, porcelain vessels, and a marble bust of the great Washington, by the Italian sculptor Ceracchi, who was afterwards shot in Paris, on account of a conspiracy against Napoleon’s life. A great chandelier was remarkably fine; it was made for the Emperor Napoleon, and purchased in the year 1815, by the American minister in Paris. The imperial eagles now pass for American.General Brown,I.32during a visit, showed me a large gold medal which was presented to him by congress, on account of his services in the late war. On one side of it is a bust of the general, and on the other a trophy of English arms surrounding a fasces. Four shields bear the names, Sackett’s Harbour, Niagara, Chippewa, and Erie, with the dates on which these places witnessed the general’s deeds. At the foot of the trophy an American eagle is represented, holding in his talons an English banner. This medal is not intended to be worn: the general preserves it in a box. The American citizens are not allowed to wear any foreign decorations; even General Bernard was obliged to lay aside those he had so truly merited. General Brown showed me also a gold box, presented to him by the city of New York, together with the freedom of the city.On the 14th of November I began to make farewell visits, for the dwellings in Washington are so far distant, that such visits require a great deal of time. On this occasion, I had a long conversation with the secretary of war, Mr. Barbour, and general Macomb, on military subjects. I differed in opinion from the secretary about the efficiency of militia men, of whom he, as their former general,I.33seemed to entertain too high an opinion. At Mr. de Wallenstein’s I saw some good instruments; a barometer for measuring heights, and a telescope which he had adopted as a transit-instrument. I found there also Krusenstern’slarge Atlas of the South Sea, a fine work on bad paper. Mr. de Wallenstein had translated an astronomical work from the Spanish into English; he had also an English copy of theillustrationsofGöthe’sFaust laid open. With General Bernard I conversed for a long while on the science of military engineering. He told me he had served at the defence of two fortresses, and obtained the experience, that there can be no strong defence, without having covered works on the front of attack. Respecting coast batteries, he was of opinion that the best were those which had at least an elevation of thirty feet above the surface of the water, in order that the rebounding shots coming from ships should not attain the breastwork. He considered the establishments for military instruction in this country susceptible of great improvements. He had proposed to establish a military exercise school, to which should be alternately sent battalions of infantry, and companies of artillery; this proposition has not been adopted. The general said also a great deal about the importance of Anvers, and gave me many interesting explanations of Napoleon’s designs in fortifying that place. Finally, the conversation turned on the battle of Waterloo, at which the General had been present as aid to the Emperor. Tears came into the eyes of this gallant man, while speaking of his former master.On the last day of my stay in Washington, I took a ride with Messrs. Huygens, and Mr. de Bresson; we went to the marine barracks, where, by order of the secretary of war, experiments with Hall’s muskets were to be made. Mr. Hall, who is inspector of the gun manufactory at Harper’s Ferry, was present himself.Experiments were made on the celerity of firing; Mr. Hall fired with his gun, and the sergeant major of the marines with an ordinary infantry musket. The last could make but four shots in a minute; whilst Mr. Hall made six. He has also applied his invention to ordinary infantry muskets and rifles, and caused them to be constructed at Harper’s Ferry. They cost the government eighteen dollars a piece. An essential improvement would be to introduce percussion fire-locks. Moreover these arms can only be given into the hands of very well exercised men. The government intends to arm the left wing companies with them. For the riflemen or light infantry, this gun seems to be very well suited. I expressed a desire that Mr. Hall would make such a gun for me; but he replied, that being in the service of the government, he was not allowed to make any without particular permission of the secretary of war. The few marines in quarters were paraded under the command of a Lieutenant, and I was received with music and presented arms.The whole of the marine corps is composed of but seven hundred men, who were employed on board the squadrons in the Mediterranean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and in the South Sea, to serve on board the receiving ships, and in the navy yards of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington and Norfolk. Hopes were entertained, that the next congress would consent to augment this corps to the number of fifteen hundred men, and this augmentation would, no doubt, have a great influence on the improvement of the service.----CHAPTER XIV.Departure from Washington.—Fredericktown.—Harper’s Ferry.—Blue Ridge.—Staunton.—Natural Bridge.—Wier’s Cave.—Charlotteville.—University of Virginia.—Monticello.—Richmond.—Jamestown.—Norfolk.—Fort Monroe.—Fayetteville.—Columbia.Onthe 15th of November, I set out from Washington with Mr. Huygens, jr., who was desirous of accompanying me by permission of his father. I had hired a carriage with four horses to Harper’s Ferry, about fifty miles from Washington, where we were to arrive in two days. The road was for some miles very good, but afterwards it became bad and rugged and continued so the rest of the day. We left the District of Columbia, and again entered the state of Maryland. The country through which we were passing was hilly, covered with wood, and in some places cultivated; single large houses belonging to tobacco planters, and in their vicinity small ones for the negro slaves, were scattered here and there. We went through only one decent place called Rocksville. About seven o’clock in the evening we reached an inn called Scholl’s tavern, situated in the township of Clarksburg, distant from Washington twenty-five miles.Next morning we left Clarksburg; it was pretty cool, and the road as rough as before. It was fifteen miles to Fredericktown, over a hilly and rocky country. Sometimes we saw handsome prospects on the mountains of the Blue Ridge, which we were approaching. The houses that we passed by, were like those of yesterday; the negro houses mostly of wood, with clumsy chimnies, built close to the house. The Monocacy river we passed at a ford within four miles of Fredericktown. This is one of the principal places in the state of Maryland, and is situated ina well cultivated country surrounded by hills. It has about five thousand inhabitants, and is built very regularly. At the entrance of one of the streets stood a wooden triumphal arch raised in honour of General La Fayette. The inscriptions were already nearly effaced by the weather. I had hardly alighted at the tavern, when I received a visit from a clergyman of this place named Dr. Schaeffer, a son of a preacher of the same name in Philadelphia. This gentleman accompanied me to see Mr. Schley, whom I had known in Saratoga, and afterwards we went to a Lutheran church, a very plain building. We ascended the spire in order to have a view of the town and surrounding country. The country appeared to be very well cultivated; their principal agricultural object is tobacco. There are four churches, Lutheran, Reformed, Catholic and Methodist. The public buildings are the Court-house and prison.Harper’s Ferry was yet twenty-one miles distant from Fredericktown. The country grew at every moment more hilly, and the road rugged and worse; as we were approaching the Blue Ridge, we often alighted and walked. We met with several herds and flocks, which are driven from the western states to different seaports for sale. The wagons we met were generally carrying products of the west; they were large wagons with five stout horses. Every horse had on its collar a set of bells, consisting of five different tones, which made a very singular music.Meanwhile, our road passed mostly through forest; we went through but a single insignificant village called Newton. The mountains grew higher and more rocky. At last we came again to the Potomac, which we had left the day before, and enjoyed many fine views.This country reminded me of Pranen, near Dresden. It was night when we arrived on the left bank of the Potomac, opposite to Harper’s Ferry; we were obliged to wait for a considerable length of time for the ferry-boat. When this came, we saw it was conducted by an intoxicated negro; even the ferry-boat itself was very bad; however, we fortunately crossed the shallow river, passing amidst pieces of rocks, and perceived at some distance up, three piers standing in the river, on which the next year, a bridge was to be built. Having crossed, we came into the state of Virginia. At Harper’s Ferry, we took our lodgings in a neat tavern; and I had here the pleasure to see Dr. Weise, from Dresden, who, as soon as he knew I had arrived, came to see me. I take the liberty of inserting here the following description of this country, byThomas Jefferson, in his “Notes on the State of Virginia.”“The passage of the Potomac through the Blue Ridge is perhaps one of the most stupendous scenes in nature. You standon a very high point of land. On your right comes up the Shenandoah, having ranged along the foot of the mountain an hundred miles to seek a vent. On your left approaches the Potomac, in quest of a passage also. In the moment of their junction they rush together against the mountain, rend it asunder, and pass off to the sea. The first glance of this scene hurries our senses into the opinion, that this earth has been created in time, that the mountains were formed first, that the rivers began to flow afterwards, that in this place particularly they have been dammed up by the Blue Ridge of mountains, and have formed an ocean which filled the whole valley; that continuing to rise they have at length broken over at this spot, and have torn the mountain down from its summit to its base. The piles of rock on each hand, but particularly on the Shenandoah, the evident marks of their disrupture and avulsion from their beds, by the most powerful agents of nature, corroborate the impression. But the distant finishing which nature has given to the picture, is of a very different character. It is a true contrast to the foreground. It is as placid and delightful, as that is wild and tremendous. For the mountain being cloven asunder, she presents to your eye, through the cleft, a small catch of smooth blue horizon, at an infinite distance in the plain country, inviting you, as it were, from the riot and tumult roaring around, to pass through the breach and participate of the calm below. Here the eye ultimately composes itself; and that way too the road happens actually to lead. You cross the Potomac above the junction, pass along its side through the base of the mountain for three miles, its terrible precipices hanging in fragments over you, and within about twenty miles reach Fredericktown, and the fine country round that. This scene is worth a voyage across the Atlantic. Yet here, as in the neighbourhood of the Natural Bridge, are people who have passed their lives within half a dozen miles, and have never been to survey these monuments of a war between rivers and mountains, which must have shaken the earth itself to its centre.”The morning after my arrival at Harper’s Ferry, I visited Mr. Stubbersfield, director of the gun manufactory, to whom I was recommended by the secretary of war, and he showed me the establishments under his orders. The workshops are in seven large stone buildings, of which the interior partitions, with regret be it spoken, are of wood. The buildings stand in rows, four at the foot of the mountain, and opposite to them, three on the bank of the Potomac. At the entrance of the street which they form, is Mr. Stubbersfield’s office, from which he can overlook the entrances of all the buildings. The machines are moved by water-wheels. All the buildings are two stories high; in thelower part are the forges, and in the higher stories, workmen who use no fire in their work. In the working of iron I saw nothing new. The iron employed for barrels, comes from Juniata, in the state of Pennsylvania, and is in plates, of which each is calculated for one barrel. The steel is German, called Halbach’s steel, furnished by Mr. Halbach, of Philadelphia. Every gun must pass through one hundred and twenty hands before it is ready. A particular workman is appointed for every part and paid for it separately, when the work has been duly examined, and proved to be good. A skilful and diligent workman can gain two dollars per day. When the workmen have prepared all the parts of a fire-lock, they deliver them to a man who examines, tries them, and puts them together. The barrels are turned by means of rings, which can be rendered smaller or larger. The machinery for making gun-stocks was the most interesting to me, because it was formerly a very laborious work. A piece of iron is screwed upon a piece of wood, which has been made in the form of a stock, at the place where the barrel is to be placed. After this the piece is screwed into the machinery; in a parallel direction to it a piece of iron is screwed, having the same form that is to be given to the stock. The planing is performed by means of a wheel, to which are adapted ledge-planes. The operation begins with the muzzle, and ends with the breech of the gun. The gun-stock moves together with the iron model, each round its axis, having a parallel direction with the axis of a plain wheel of brass, which is rubbing on the iron model, and following all its prominences and cavities. This wheel is also put in motion and drawn towards the breech by means of an endless screw; during this motion it planes the gun-stock off, and gives it the proper form. This operation lasts six or seven minutes, and there is nothing to prevent it from turning at the same time another gun-stock on the other side. The gun-stock being duly formed, is taken out of the machinery, and another put in its place; then the iron piece is taken away from the turned gun-stock, it is fixed in acramp, and applied to a bore-plane for making the groove to receive the barrel.This manufactory, and that of Springfield, the only ones belonging to the government, furnishes at present in time of peace, fifteen thousand guns yearly. These guns are generally browned by the process indicated by Dupin, also, the rings and bayonets, the last of which are kept bright by the British.Mr. Stubbersfield conducted me also to the arsenal, in which the finished muskets are delivered, and are either here preserved, or packed up in cases by twenty, and sent to other arsenals. In the interior of the arsenal, every thing is of wood, notwithstanding the great importance of being fire-proof, as it contains sucha large capital. There were eighty-four thousand guns. If the value of one be estimated only at thirteen dollars, it makes the sum of one million and ninety-two thousand dollars.From the arsenal, we were conducted to a new manufactory, half a mile from the town, where Mr. Hall’s patent guns are constructed under his own direction. He not being present, I was not fortunate enough to find any body to explain the machinery, which appeared not yet in full action. Dr. Weise, went with us to a mountain above this place, called Jefferson’s Rock. The prospect from it is really very fine; it agrees with the description, yet I believe I have seen finer landscapes in Germany. From that place also, the town can be surveyed, the houses of which appeared to be rather scattered; of its fifteen hundred inhabitants, three hundred are working in the gun manufactory. The ground for the most part belongs to the government, and well recommended persons obtain permission to build upon it. On an elevation, near Jefferson’s Rock, a large building, three stories high, has been erected. The first story was intended for a church, the second for a Lancasterian school, and the third for a free mason’s lodge. I suffered very much from a very cold wind, which brought with it a little snow. In the evening, Dr. Weise came to me with a bridge builder, who was a native of Reuslingen, who came here thirty years ago as a baker, and then had learned the art of constructing mills and bridges. The second bridge on the Schuylkill, above Philadelphia, built of a single arch, is of his invention, and the next year he was to build one here over the Potomac.On the 19th of November, we left Harper’s ferry in a clear, but very cold morning, and set off on a journey to the Natural Bridge, which is one hundred and seventy-five miles distant. We rode in an ordinary stage. The improvement of stages, appears not yet to have extended beyond the Blue Mountains, because we were obliged to be contented with one, which was in every respect very uncomfortable. The way led us through a hilly country and was very bad. We went for a considerable distance on rocks; on the road, a great many loose stones were lying, and I was surprised, that our miserable vehicle was not broken to pieces. At break of day, we arrived at a small place called Smithfield, eighteen miles from Harper’s ferry. A couple of miles farther, we came to warm Sulphur Springs, the water of which has the taste of spoiled eggs, like that of Aix-la-Chapelle. It seems to be very little known, as there is no enclosure around it, and no houses near. A lucky chance will no doubt make it known, and I should not be surprised, were I to come hither again in fifteen or twenty years, to find at this spot an elegant watering place, somewhat like Saratoga Springs. The road continuedthrough a forest of oak, chesnut, acacia, and cedar trees; houses were seldom met with. We forded many creeks, the most considerable of them is called Cedar creek. We observed also some grist-mills. It froze pretty hard, so that the borders of the creeks were covered with a pretty thick ice, and large icicles hung on the sluices of the mills. Eleven miles beyond Smithfield, we came to Winchester, a very nice country town, where the houses are mostly of masonry, and form a long principal street, intersected by other smaller ones; it has a market-house, and many stores, which appeared to be very well provided. Here we changed our stage for a better one, although still very inconvenient. The wood of which it was constructed was hickory, which has a great deal of elasticity.From Winchester, we went to Stephensbury, eight miles farther, to Middleton, then to Strasburg, six miles, and at last to Woodstock, twelve miles, where we passed the night. This place is sixty-one miles distant from Harper’s ferry. We reached our night-quarters in the evening about six o’clock, in a very cold night and a fine moonshine. The places between Winchester and Woodstock were not considerable, except Strasburg, which is more ancient than the others, and appears to have a larger population. The houses are generally of wood and covered with shingles, although a great number of stones are found here. The country became at last very fine. On our left we saw the Blue Ridge, from which we now withdrew at every moment. Another ridge, in a parallel direction with the former, called the Northern Ridge, rose suddenly between us and the Blue Ridge, which soon entirely disappeared. On our right there was another ridge of mountains, it was an arm of the Alleghany Mountains, and we went through a valley at least ten miles wide. The formation of these parallel ridges is very singular, and no instance occurs of it in the other parts of the world. The country was pretty well cultivated, and by the exterior appearance of many country-houses, we were induced to believe their inhabitants enjoyed plenty. The enclosures of fields are here, for the most part, the above-mentioned old fences, yet next to the houses they are of masonry carefully formed. As it appeared, they travel here much on horseback. On account of great distances between the plantations, almost all the ladies can ride on horseback; we met several of them elegantly dressed, and also black women. The race of horses of this country, appears to be a very strong one. They use also oxen for drawing; to many carts were put two oxen, and before them two horses. On the 20th of November, we left Woodstock at half-past two o’clock in the morning, in a very miserable stage, and proceeded to Staunton, seventy-one miles distant, on a still more rugged road than that of yesterday; inthis place we passed the night. The places on our way were mostly insignificant: only Shryock, New Market, Big Spring, and Harrisonburg, deserve to be mentioned; the last of them is said to have from eight to nine hundred inhabitants. The greatest part of the houses were wooden ones, and but a few of masonry. This part of the state of Virginia does not bear comparison with Massachusetts, New York, or even Pennsylvania. The great number of slaves in this state, makes also a very bad impression.I.34The largest part of the country is not covered with wood, and appears to be well cultivated. As for the rest it is very hilly, and on our left hand we had all day the ridge of North Mountains, of which, however, we could not see much, owing to the fogginess of the weather. We crossed many streams at fords; these streams were rather torrents. We crossed the Shenandoah near its source. About seven o’clock in the evening we reached Staunton, and took our lodgings in an unpleasant tavern. This long and uncomfortable journey, in an extremely bad stage, and upon a very rough way, made me quite uneasy, and my young travelling companion more so, for he seemed not to be very much accustomed to such fatigues. I suffered, however, this want of comfort with a great deal of patience.On the 21st of November, we were obliged to stay in Staunton, because the stage goes only every other day to the Natural Bridge, which is on the road to Knoxville and Louisville, and this bridge being too far distant from Staunton, we could not, with a hired carriage, go there, and return within two days. We employed the leisure forced upon us in examining the country. The town itself is small, has about one thousand six hundred inhabitants, and consists, properly speaking, of but two principal streets, intersecting each other at right angles. The greatest part of the houses are of wood, covered with shingles. Staunton is the chief place of Augusta county; the court was in session, and on that account a great many lawyers were present. The town is surrounded by hills and covered with wood, as far as I could observe in the foggy weather, which lasted all day. The Shenandoah here is but a small brook; opposite the town is a limestone rock, having many cavities. I was told they were very spacious. I tried to creep in, but found the entrance so narrow and low, that I was obliged to give it up. I had obtained fromMrs. Weightman, in Washington, a letter of introduction to Dr. Scheffey, her brother-in-law, and the most renowned lawyer in the place. I delivered it, and received a visit from this gentleman. He came with several of his brother lawyers, and among them three generals of militia were introduced. Dr. Scheffey himself was a major, and almost every inhabitant of distinction is invested with a rank in the militia. The custom being here to call one another by their military rank, one is tempted to believe himself transported to the head-quarters of some army! In conversing with these gentlemen, I observed with astonishment the aristocratical spirit which the Virginians possess. I was astonished to hear them praising hereditary nobility and primogeniture! In the evening I went to see Dr. Scheffey, and we spent the time very pleasantly over a good glass of wine, and in rational conversation.The next morning, I left my baggage in Staunton at half past two o’clock, in a miserable stage, in order to go to the Natural Bridge, upon a very bad road. We passed only two decent places, Fairfield and Lexington, the last is the chief town of Rockbridge county, and has a court and high school. On account of a fog, which lasted all day, we could see but little of the country, which in some parts of Rockbridge county becomes very mountainous. We forded two small streams, called Middle river and Buffalo creek, over the last there is a wooden bridge, which is made use of only at very high water. Our travelling company was not the most agreeable, it was composed of two Americans, who did not open their mouths, and of an Irish resident, who talked the more for the silence of the others; all this was disagreeable enough. At times he became interesting, when he had cheered his heart with whiskey. We passed by many very handsome country-houses; at one of them we saw eight large black eagles sitting on a fence, they were fed by the care of the proprietor. The inhabitants seem not very fond of shooting, for I saw snipes in Fairfield, which flew even into the yard of the tavern. Game is here very abundant, a deer costs about a dollar and a half.In the afternoon we reached a lonely tavern, situated in the mountains called Natural Bridge, which is fifty miles distant from Staunton. I availed myself of the short time the sun remained above the horizon to hasten to the Natural Bridge, which is a mile and a half distant from the tavern, and for the sake of which I had made so great a circuit and suffered so many fatigues. A young negro slave from the tavern was our conductor; the way lead through mountains overgrown with wood. At last I stood upon a rock whence I could overlook the cleft and the bridge just before me. In Jefferson’s Notes, that learned man gives a description of the bridge, which is as follows:“The Natural Bridge, the most sublime of Nature’s works, though not comprehended under the present head, must not be pretermitted. It is on the ascent of a hill, which seems to have been cloven through its length by some great convulsion. The fissure just at the bridge, is by some admeasurements, two hundred and seventy feet deep, by others only two hundred and five. It is about forty-five feet wide at the bottom, and ninety feet at the top; this of course determines the length of the bridge, and its height from the water, its breadth in the middle is about sixty feet, but more at the ends, and the thickness of the mass, at the summit of the arch about forty feet. A part of this thickness is constituted by a coat of earth, which gives growth to many large trees. The residue, with the hill on both sides, is one solid rock of limestone.—The arch approaches the semi-elliptical form, but the larger axis of the ellipsis, which would be the chord of the arch, is many times longer than the transverse. Though the sides of this bridge are provided in some parts with a parapet of fixed rocks, yet few men have resolution to walk to them, and look over into the abyss. You involuntarily fall on your hands and feet, creep to the parapet, and peep over it. Looking down from this height about a minute, gave me a violent head-ache. If the view from the top be painful and intolerable, that from below is delightful in an equal extreme. It is impossible for the emotions arising from the sublime, to be felt beyond what they are here: so beautiful an arch, so elevated, so light, and springing as it were up to heaven! The rapture of the spectator is really indiscribable! The fissure continuing narrow, deep, and straight, for a considerable distance above and below the bridge, opens a short but very pleasing view of the North Mountain on one side and Blue Ridge on the other, at the distance each of them of about five miles. This bridge is in the county of Rockbridge, to which it has given name, and affords a public and commodious passage over a valley, which cannot be crossed elsewhere for a considerable distance. The stream passing under it is called Cedar creek. It is a water of James’s river, and sufficient in the driest seasons to turn a grist-mill, though its fountain is not more than two miles above.”I confess that I am no poet; yet I was very glad to have taken the trouble of coming hither; this rock-bridge being certainly one of the greatest wonders of nature I have ever beheld; and I have seen Vesuvius and the Phlegrean fields, the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland, the Island of Staffa, and the Falls of Niagara! The brook under the bridge was almost dry; the most majestic view is from below.On the 23d of November we left the wretched tavern at the Natural Bridge, and returned to Staunton in a crowded stage,in which were four gentlemen from the state of Tennessee, members of congress, going to Washington. I took my seat as usual alongside the coachman, where I had more room and fresh air. We returned as far as Lexington by the road we left it. Having stopped for a short while here, I was the object of much curiosity to the German descendants who are settled here. The town of Lexington was first established about forty years ago, and it now contains eleven hundred inhabitants. In its vicinity upon a hill, is a large arsenal covered with zinc, belonging to the United States.From Lexington we took another road which led us through the considerable villages of Brownsburgh and Middleburgh. The road was in some places very bad, and terribly rough; but we sometimes found a side road, which in that dry season was still very good; it ran generally through a forest. We saw lonely houses and met with many travellers on horseback, several of them were well dressed white women. All our coachmen in this state were whites; I was surprised at this, knowing that black coachmen could be had at a cheaper rate, and was told that in this state, blacks were not allowed to drive the mail stage.On the 24th of November, after nine o’clock in the morning, we set out from Staunton in a hired coach, in order to pass by a circuitous route the celebrated Wier’s cave, and thence continue our journey to Charlotteville, whither we had sent our heavy baggage by the stage.As far as Wier’s cave, eighteen miles distant, we had a good country road. We took our lodgings in a lonely house belonging to Mr. Mohler, a German from Pennsylvania, of Saxon origin. The way was through a hilly, woody country; many breaks in the earth presented limestone rocks, and announced the proximity of caves. For a sportsman this country must be delightful, for we saw in the woods two flocks of partridges, which left the road, only to give way to the passing carriage, and then settled at not more than ten paces from us. On the banks of the creeks we saw a great number of snipes. Mohler’s house is situated on a considerable creek, called the South river, which by means of a canal, works a grist-mill and forge.The grist-mill belongs to a miller, who has also a whiskey distillery, and upwards of one hundred acres of land, with four negro slaves. He cultivates wheat, some rye, and a great quantity of Indian corn. His mill, a large stone building, is arranged very compendiously, and reminded me of the large steam-mill at Baltimore. There are only two pairs of stones, one for wheat, and the other for Indian corn. The boulted flour is conveyed to the upper floor by means of elevators, and spread upon it by a rake, which has a circular and horizontal motion, in order to cool it.He sends his flour packed up in barrels to Richmond, and even to Baltimore. The industrious Mohler has connected with his grist-mill, a saw-mill, and a mill to break flax, which is likewise cultivated, though not in a large quantity; this year, on account of the dryness, it has failed.The entrance of the cave is about a mile and a half from Mohler’s house, and is situated in the middle of a steep side of a mountain on the bank of the South river. We crept down the hollow, every one provided with a taper, and came directly into a space where we could stand up; there were some beautiful stalactites, mostly in columns. This place is called theantichamber. Then we arrived at a hall called dragon’s room, from a stalactite, which is said to have the form of a dragon. Several of the stalactites are not unlike waterfalls; one of them is called Niagara Falls.The following gallery is called the Devil’s gallery, from a figure standing in it; yet I found in this figure more resemblance to a statue of the virgin, than to that of a devil.A whole stratum of the stalactites detached from the roof of the cavern, was as it were, suspended between heaven and earth, and afforded a fine view, especially as a new formation of stalactites took place between the roof and the suspended stratum.A narrow hollow passage leads into a more spacious cavern called Solomon’s Temple; here are very singular and mostly foliated transparent stalactites, hanging from the roof down to the floor. Not far from that cavern is another, named hide-room, in which the stalactites hang down in form of hides in a tannery. Then we came into another vault, which is called the drum-room, because if a stone is thrown against the stalactites, they give a sound resembling that of a drum. Some of the stalactites having the form of sticks, and ranged in circles, produce all the sounds of an octave, if struck with a stick. You pass afterwards through a narrow passage, by an opening, which looks like an antique tomb in ruins, and is called Patterson’s grave, in commemoration of an individual of that name who fell in there. By means of a rather rotten ladder, you come now into a very high smooth saloon, eighty feet long, called the ball-room, in which benches are placed; I was told that visitors having ladies with them, entertained themselves here very often with dancing. Then you ascend another ladder, and creep on all fours through a narrow hollow, which has been partly enlarged by a mine, when you arrive at a natural, but very slippery staircase, called Jacob’s ladder, which you descend; then passing through a narrow dungeon, you get into a more spacious room, named Senate-chamber, when by means of a rotten ladder you reach a long gallery, called Washington-hall, from a large stalactite standing in the middleof it, and having the form of a statue, which is called Washington’s statue.Not far from this statue, there is a small fountain, the water of which, though very thirsty, I did not venture to drink, having some days since experienced bad consequences from drinking water from limestone rocks. Next to this hall, is a place in which the stalactites covering the rock, have a shining crystalline-like surface, wherefore this vault is called the diamond room. Farther on, you get in a large saloon called the dining room, in which the stalactites represent something not unlike a side-board set with bottles and tumblers. In Washington-hall there is a heap of this filtered stone, called the hay-stack, and over it hangs another stalactite, having the form of a rake.From the dining room, we passed into the last cave, that had been hitherto visited, by the name of Jefferson’s-hall, in which are seen several clefts, and I am persuaded that a new passage could be easily opened, and new caves discovered. In different spots of the cavern, where the crust of the stalactites is broken, we saw hollows, which have not yet been examined. Such an undertaking, seems the more worth while, as this cave is probably in communication with the Madison’s cave, which was discovered by Jefferson, many years ago, and is in the same mountain; its entrance being only three hundred yards distant from that of Wier’s cave.Wier’s cave was discovered in the year 1806, by a German farmer named Wier; Madison’s cave is not any longer visited; it is said also, that its finest stalactites have been destroyed by the indiscretion of strangers.My attention in Wier’s cave, was particularly attracted by plates, which came off from the roof of the cavern, and hang from it, so that new stalactites have been formed between them and the roof, the last giving the others a very singular form. One of these plates looks like a large shell of mother of pearl,—another, like a looking-glass. The cave is of course damp, from the dripping of water, but it is less so than I expected, and less than is the case in such caves in Germany and England. The temperature was pretty high, and the air very pure. Our candles burnt with a bright flame, and we felt no difficulty in breathing.From Jefferson’s hall, we began our rather difficult retreat, and came again into day-light, which was already decreasing.We spent the rest of the evening with our friendly landlord, by a chimney fire; he had a bible in folio, printed in Nuremberg in the year 1765, with the portraits of my ancestors, the Grand Duke William IV., the Grand Duke Bernhard, and others.It was interesting to me, to be reminded of my family in sucha way, when in the interior of Virginia, and beyond the Blue Ridge.On the 25th of November, we set out for Charlotteville, thirty-two miles distant, passing over the Blue Ridge. The road is through a country little cultivated, and without a single village; and the number of separate houses could scarcely be more than a dozen. After we had gone about five miles, we arrived at the western base of the Blue Ridge, which affords an agreeable view, being overgrown with wood up to the top. Then we entered a narrow valley, and when the road began to ascend, we alighted and walked over the mountains. I was surprised to find the road less steep than I expected, and it was also pretty good. From elevated places, the day being not so foggy as the preceding ones, we had many fine views of the mountains. The wood consisted of oak trees, and different kinds of nut trees; here and there were colossal fir, larch, Weymouth’s pine and acacia trees. Evergreen rhododendrons, for which some amateurs in Europe spend a great deal of money, are growing here in abundance, also wild vines, which wind themselves round the trees. The prospect on the mountains would have been more pleasant, had there been some marks of human dwellings, but we saw only two miserable log houses, inhabited by dirty and ragged negro families, on the whole tract for eight miles over the mountains; and we met but a few carts loaded with flour.Having crossed the Blue Ridge, we arrived at a good-looking country house, and a mill called Brown’s Farm, situated at the base of the mountains, and took our dinner there. This house is surrounded by fields belonging to it, and from its piazza there is a very fine view of the mountains. From this place we had yet twenty miles to Charlotteville. The road became less hilly, at least we had no more mountains to cross; however, the road continued very rough, and we were rudely jolted. About eight o’clock in the evening we reached Charlotteville, in which the houses appeared to be scattered. In its vicinity is a new establishment for education, called University of Virginia. The next morning we went to see the university, which is one mile distant from the town.This establishment has been open since March, 1824, and it is said to have already one hundred and thirty students; but a spirit of insubordination has caused many of the pupils to be sent away. The buildings are all new, and yet some of them seem to threaten to fall in, which may be the case with several others also, being chiefly built of wood. The interior of the library was not yet finished, but according to its plan it will be a beautiful one. The dome is made after the model of the Pantheon in Rome, reduced one half. This place is intended forpublic meetings of the academy: but it is said that an echo is heard in case of loud speaking, which renders the voice of the speaker unintelligible.Under the rotunda are three elliptical halls, the destination of which is not yet entirely determined. The set of columns on the outside of this building, I was told is to be a very fine one; the capitals were made in Italy.As for the rest, the ten buildings on the right and left are not at all regularly built, but each of them in a different manner, so that there is no harmony in the whole, which prevents it from having a beautiful and majestic appearance.The garden walls of the lateral building are also in crooked lines, which gives them a singular but handsome appearance. The buildings have been executed according to Mr. Jefferson’s plan, and are his hobby; he is rector of the University, in the construction of which the state of Virginia is said to have laid out considerable sums of money.We addressed a gentleman whom we met by chance, in order to get some information, and we had every reason to be satisfied with his politeness. It was Dr. Dunglison, professor of medicine. He is an Englishman, and came last year with three other professors from Europe. He showed us the library, which was still inconsiderable, and has been provisionally arranged in a lecture room; it contained some German belles lettres works, among others a series of Kotzebue’s calendar of dramatical works. It was said a great quantity of books was coming from Europe.The university is situated on a hill in a very healthy situation, and there is a very fine view of the Blue Ridge. President Jefferson invited us to a family dinner; but as in Charlotteville there is but a single hackney-coach, and this being absent, we were obliged to go the three miles to Monticello on foot.We went by a pathway, through well cultivated and enclosed fields, crossed a creek named Rivanna, passing on a trunk of a tree cut in a rough shape, and without rails; then ascended a steep hill overgrown with wood, and came on its top to Mr. Jefferson’s house, which is in an open space, walled round with bricks, forming an oblong, whose shorter sides are rounded; on each of the longer sides are portals of four columns.The unsuccessful waiting for a carriage, and our long walk, caused such a delay, that we found the company at table when we entered; but Mr. Jefferson came very kindly to meet us, forced us to take our seats, and ordered dinner to be served up anew. He was an old man of eighty-six years of age, of tall stature, plain appearance, and long white hair.In conversation he was very lively, and his spirits, as also his hearing and sight, seemed not to have decreased at all with hisadvancing age. I found in him a man who retained his faculties remarkably well in his old age, and one would have taken him for a man of sixty. He asked me what I had seen in Virginia. I eulogized all the places, that I was certain would meet with his approbation, and he seemed very much pleased. The company at the table, consisted of the family of his daughter, Mrs. Randolph, and of that of the professor of mathematics at the university, an Englishman, and of his wife. I turned the conversation to the subject of the university, and observed, that this was the favourite topic with Mr. Jefferson; he entertained very sanguine hopes as to the flourishing state of the university in future, and believed that it, and the Harvard University near Boston, would in a very short time be the only institutions, where the youth of the United States would receive a truly classical and solid education. After dinner we intended to take our leave, in order to return to Charlotteville; but Mr. Jefferson would not consent to it. He pressed us to remain for the night at his house. The evening was spent by the fire; a great deal was said about travels, and objects of natural history; the fine arts were also introduced, of which Mr. Jefferson was a great admirer. He spoke also of his travels in France, and the country on the Rhine, where he was very much pleased. His description of Virginia is the best proof what an admirer he is of beauties of nature. He told us that it was only eight months since he could not ride on horseback; otherwise, he rode every day to visit the surrounding country; he entertained, however, hopes of being able to re-commence the next spring his favourite exercise. Between nine and ten o’clock in the evening, the company broke up, and a handsome room was assigned to me.The next morning I took a walk round the house, and admired the beautiful panorama, which this spot presents. On the left, I saw the Blue Ridge, and between them and Monticello are smaller hills. Charlotteville and the University lay at my feet; before me, the valley of the Rivanna river, which farther on, makes its junction with the James river, and on my right was the flat part of Virginia, the extent of which is lost in distance; behind me was a towering hill, which limited the sight. The interior of the house was plain, and the furniture somewhat of an old fashion. In the entrance was a marble stove with Mr. Jefferson’s bust, by Ceracchi. In the rooms hung several copies of the celebrated pictures of the Italian school, views of Monticello,Mount Vernon, the principal buildings in Washington and Harper’s Ferry; there were also an oil painting, and an engraving of the Natural Bridge, views of Niagara by Vanderlin, a sketch of the large picture by Trumbull, representing the surrender at Yorktown, and a pen drawing of Hector’s departure,by Benjamin West, presented by him to GeneralKosciuszko, finally, several portraits of Mr. Jefferson, among which the best was that in profile by Stuart. In the saloon there were two busts, one of Napoleon as first consul, and another of the Emperor Alexander. Mr. Jefferson admired Napoleon’s military talents, but did not love him. After breakfast, which we took with the family, we bid the respectable old man farewell, and set out upon our return on foot to Charlotteville.

Upon the spot where the frigate Brandywine, which carried Gen. La Fayette to France, was built, the keel of a new frigate was laid, and at the same time the foundation for a house over this new ship was begun. The ground being very moist, this building is erected on piles. Opposite the entrance of the navy-yard, stands a rostral column of white marble with allegoric figures. It was erected by the officers and midshipmen of the navy of the United States, to commemorate the death of their comrades who fell in the attack of Tripoli. The English, at the time of their taking possession of Washington, on the 25th of June, 1814, broke the fingers of one hand belonging to the allegoric figure representing America, and destroyed the stylus in the hand of the muse of history. This inscription has been added to the column: “mutilated by the British.” At the foot of the monument stand two Spanish brass twenty-four pounders, taken by the Americans at Tripoli.

In this, as well as in other American navy-yards, there are several buildings. I found large forges where chain-cables are made, and tried in the same manner I had witnessed two years ago in Newbridge, South Wales. All the old copper taken from the ships is melted, and with an alloy of brass, converted into utensils of every description used on board ships; a steam-engine of fourteen horse-power moves a saw-mill, consisting of two large and several smaller circular saws, as also, machines for block-making, which however, can by no means be compared with Brunel’s block machine in Portsmouth; in the little arsenal are the muskets, swords, &c. I observed a contrivance on the locks of the guns to insulate the priming, and secure it in dampweather. I saw also a kind of repeating musket with two locks, one behind the other. With such muskets, by means of the anterior lock, twelve consecutive discharges can be produced, and these being over, the gun is loaded again like an ordinary infantry musket, and fired by means of the lowest lock. After the anterior lock is fired, all the remaining shots incessantly follow, and cannot be withheld at will, as it is the case with the repeating gun bought by me in New York, already described. It is yet unknown how this successive firing can be obtained. Captain Booth showed me also double screws of his own invention, the object of which is to supply the place of ordinary lanyards for ships. This officer has obtained a patent for his contrivance, and it has been adopted, for experiment, in the frigate Brandywine; in the same navy-yard is a laboratory, under the arsenal, where the necessary fire-works for the artillery are made. The place seemed to me to be ill chosen, since an explosion that may easily happen in such an establishment, might cause most terrible consequences to the navy-yard.

Over the Potomac there is a long wooden bridge, built upon ordinary cross-beams. I measured it, and found it to be fifteen paces broad, and one thousand nine hundred long. My paces being to the ordinary ones in the relation of four to five, it may be assumed that it is about two thousand three hundred and seventy-five paces in length. It required nineteen minutes to walk from one end to the other. Every foot-passenger pays six cents. This bridge astonishes by its length, but not at all in its execution, for it is clumsy and coarse. Many of the planks are rotten, and it is in want of repair; it has two side-walks, one of them is separated from the road by a rail. It is lighted by night with lanterns. It is provided with two drawbridges, in order to let vessels pass. It grew dark before I returned home, and was surprised at the stillness of the streets, as I scarcely met an individual.

Patents of invention are issued from the patent-office; whoever wishes to obtain a patent for an invention, is obliged to deliver a model or an accurate drawing of it. These models are exposed in an appropriate place, where they remain until the expiration of the time for which the patents are granted; they are then put into the lumber-room. Among such models, there certainly is a great number of things of little importance, as for instance, a contrivance for peeling apples; there are also ninety-six models for making nails in different ways, but some of them very remarkable. The most interesting models of machinery seemed to me to be those intended to remove mud from the bottoms of rivers, and canals, or to make them deeper. One of them consists of an ordinary steam-boat; with her they go to the spot where they are to work; arrived at the spot they cast anchor,stop the two water-wheels, and with an apparatus which is moved by the engine, draw the mud from the bottom. According to another model, the same operation can be performed by means of a draw-wheel. A great many models are intended to separate seed from cotton, to beat, spin, and weave it; none of them, however, are reputed to be superior to the known English machines.

Of steam-engines and steam-boats there are a great many models of very singular form, also steam-boats with rotatory motions; they however do not answer the purpose. I saw patterns of railways, and models of machines to draw boats from a lower canal into a higher one, by help of an inclined plane. Then two models of floating covered batteries. One of them was an oblong case, in which is fixed a steam-engine, giving to two long iron bars a rotatory motion. These bars, like two clock-hands, projecting off the deck, are intended to keep off a boarding enemy. A model to compress leaden bullets, in order to give them more weight. A great number of household and kitchen apparatus, fire-places of different descriptions, an earth-augur for seeking water, fire-engines of various kinds, a fire-proof roof, contrived by a German, several machines to make bricks, instruments by means of which, in navigating the Mississippi, trees lying under water can be taken hold of and sawed to pieces without stopping the vessel in its course, machinery to bore holes in rocks, and others to hoist rocks out of water; the machine contrived in London by Perkins to print with steel; models of book printing-presses; models for combing wool, and dressing woollen stuffs; fan-mills; leather manufacturing instruments, and among others, an instrument for splitting hides; a great number of agricultural instruments, namely, a great many ploughs for every kind of soil, invented by Germans; machines for mowing grass, for thrashing and cutting straw. Among the most important machines, I will mention one for making blocks, which is considered not to be inferior in any respect to that of Brunel, in Portsmouth, and another which renders steeping of flax unnecessary, and yet fits it after fourteen days drying to be broken and heckled. For permission to take a copy of the machine, one must pay ten dollars to the inventor. I ordered two copies; one for the Agricultural Society of Ghent, and another to present to my father. Several fine models of bridges, especially of hanging ones, among others, one of the bridges in Trenton, near Philadelphia, and another of that near Fayetteville, in North Carolina; also one of a hanging bridge, under which is suspended a canal passing over the river. Respecting arms I did not find much improvement. There was also a triangle of steel, weighing six pounds, upon which three different hammers struck, to supply the place of church bells. This ringingis said to be heard at a great distance. It has been introduced in several places to assemble the people.

The patent-office is in the same building with the post-office. They pointed out to me two large gilt frames with the arms of France and Navarre. They hung before the catastrophe of 1814, in the house of the president, and contained full length portraits of Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette, which were presented in 1783, by those unfortunate monarchs to the United States, at their especial desire. Both portraits suddenly disappeared, and it is believed that it happened in 1814, when the English made their unexpected visit to Washington, and burnt down the house of the president.

The patent-office is under the direction of Dr. Thornton,I.30who is an able draughtsman. Under Dr. Thornton, a Swiss is employed, whose name is Keller, a very able mechanic, and inspector of the model room, who explained every thing to me. Dr. Thornton was so kind as to accompany me to a sculptor, who, by means of casting a mould upon the face, obtains a striking resemblance, and has made busts of the first American statesmen, &c.

I arranged a party to the Falls of Potomac, with Mr. De Bresson, sixteen miles distant, where we were accompanied by Mr. Huygens, Jr. On the 6th of November, at nine o’clock, we left Washington and went five miles upon a very rough road, along the left bank of the river, which is at first very broad. Both shores are hilly and covered with wood, for the most part hickory and different species of oak. Of the primitive woods nothing is to be seen, for generally the wood is second growth. The banks soon became rocky, and we observed even in the river some projecting rocks. On the left shore they have dug a canal, this, however is too narrow, and only navigable by long boats, resembling the Durham-boats on the St. Lawrence river. In these boats, wood, lumber, stones, especially mill-stones, and the harvest from the upper countries, are carried to Washington.

Five miles above the city, we went over, on a hanging bridge, to the right shore. The chains consist of bars of wrought iron. The bridge itself is of wood, as well as the two cross-beams standing on its extremities, through which the chains are passed; these cross-beams form a kind of entrance, having an Egyptian appearance. The length of the bridge is about one hundred and sixteen feet, its breadth sixteen feet. A rather high toll is paid for passing it; we paid a dollar and a half for a carriage with two horses, for going and coming. The road, passing almost incessantlythrough a wood, became a little better after we arrived at the other side of the bridge. It was called a turnpike road, but still it continued hilly. We passed but a single inn, and saw but a single country house, which belonged to Commodore Jones, whose daughter became a Catholic and a nun, in a convent at Georgetown; this occurrence produced a great sensation in the United States. Most of the people we met with, were tattered negroes, who humbly saluted us. We were now in the state of Virginia, in the vicinity of the falls; when the road became very bad, we left our vehicle and went on foot through the forest, to see this natural curiosity, whose noise made us sensible of its proximity.

The river runs here over a rocky bed, and is about three hundred paces wide; in the dry season it is a great deal narrower. It forms several distinct falls, none of them above fifty feet high. Theyrecallto memory Glenn’s Falls on the Hudson, between Lake George and Saratoga. We crept about in the labyrinth of broken rocks, not without danger or difficulty, in order to obtain different views of these falls. The sun was shining upon them at the time, and afforded us the sight of several rainbows; we soon felt ourselves richly rewarded for our pains.

In order to avoid these falls, a canal with locks has been made on the right shore. The canal passing through the rocks, is in some places dug down more than fifty feet. We, unfortunately, had chosen Sunday for our excursion; the inhabitants were gone to church, and there was nobody to give us the necessary explanations. There was no vegetation on the rocks about the falls, except some broom and single clover. We saw also upon the rock a creeping cactus plant, resembling the cochineal cactus, with small pear-shaped fruit, which contained a purple-red slimy juice. This plant gave me the first sign of my approach to the south. We returned to Washington by the road we came. Notwithstanding the late season, it was as warm as in midsummer.

The capitol is a really imposing building. When it is once surrounded by handsome buildings, it will produce a fine effect. It is built of white marble, and has three domes; the largest is over the rotunda, and the two smaller over the wings. The capitol stands on an acclivity, and in front is three stories high, and on the back, which is opposite the president’s mansion, four stories high. In front is the entrance, with a portal of Corinthian columns; on the back part there is a large balcony, decorated with columns. The entrance under the portal is a little too low.

In the centre of the building, under the principal dome is a large circular hall, receiving light from the roof. Pictures are to be placed in this hall, under the bas-reliefs. One of these represents the deliverance of Captain Smith, commander of thefirst English settlement in Virginia, by the Indian Princess Pocahontas; another is an allegory, representing the landing of European emigrants. Behind this hall is a large saloon, contiguous to the balcony, which contains the library of Congress. During the English incursion in 1814, the library was destroyed by fire; the present library has been gradually collected since, and consists in great part of the late President Jefferson’s books. Under the large hall is a small one, supported by three rows of columns, not unlike a family tomb. It receives its light from above, by a round opening in the floor of the large hall, and serves as a passage. It has been proposed to place there the coffin of the greatWashington. No principal staircase is yet built, but a great number of smaller ones. The interior is altogether very angular. Columns and corridors are numerous in all the lateral galleries and saloons; the capitals of the columns are mostly of Egyptian taste, and the models seem to have been taken from the “description de l’Egypte.” In the corridor leading to the senate chamber, are columns, the shafts of which represent a bunch of stalks of Indian corn, and the capitals the fruit of the same plant. In the wings on the right hand side from the entrance, is the senate chamber, the offices belonging to it, the office of the president, and session room of the supreme court of the United States. This, and the senate chamber, are built in a semicircular form. In the centre is a place for the presiding officer. The members of the senate have their seats amphitheatrically arranged; every one has a chair, and before him a small mahogany desk. In this wing are hung the four pictures by Trumbull, which are hereafter to be placed in the rotunda. One of them represents the Declaration of Independence: there is a very fine engraving of this picture; another, the surrender of General Burgoyne to General Gates, near Saratoga; the third, the capitulation at Yorktown, and the filing off of the English between the American and French army; the fourth, the resignation of General Washington, and laying down of his commission to congress on the 23d of December, 1783. The portraits are said to be striking likenesses. As to the composition and execution of these pictures, the first makes one think of the pedantic school of Benjamin West, and the otherloosesby faint colouring. The painter was, moreover, placed under restraint by want of taste in his countrymen for the fine arts, who resemble, in that respect, their English ancestors: the posture of almost every single person having been prescribed him.

In the other wing of the building is the hall of representatives, likewise in form of an amphitheatre, and the offices belonging to it. In this hall is a full length portrait of General La Fayette. The ceiling of this saloon, like that of the senate chamber, andsupreme court room, is supported by doric columns, whose shafts are of pudding-stone. The gallery above the principal dome, affords a very extensive view. The principal avenues of the city, which is to be built, all depart from this point, and this view recalls the situation of the castle at Carlsruhe, with this difference, that here no wood, and but few houses are seen.

With the families de Mareuil, St. André, Huygens, and all the French legation, we made an excursion by water to Mount Vernon, the country-seat of the great Washington. Mount Vernon is situated sixteen miles from the capitol, and on the right bank of the Potomac, in the state of Virginia. We hired a steam-boat for the purpose, on board of which we went at half past ten o’clock, at Georgetown. We went across the long bridge through an opening of a double drawbridge, and steered down the Potomac. Washington remaining on our left, had a very handsome appearance from the water, and especially the cape, named Greenleaf’s point, situated at the junction of the east branch with the Potomac, which is fortified, and contains very spacious storehouses. Eight miles below Washington, we stopped at the city of Alexandria, lying on the right bank of this river, in order to obtain a boat for landing at Mount Vernon. Alexandria is one of the three cities of the district of Columbia, which are Washington, Georgetown, and Alexandria. This town is said to have a considerable commerce; it has a harbour with wooden wharves, near which I saw several schooners lying, and also two brigs. It is said to contain about eight thousand inhabitants. The streets are long and very straight, crossing each other at right angles. After a stay of twenty minutes, we continued our course. Both banks are hilly, in some places rocky; there is a great deal of gravel, and they are covered with wood. At a winding of the stream we passed by Fort Washington, recently built upon a rock on the left bank, commanding the stream with its batteries. In an oblique direction on the opposite shore, we at last perceived Mount Vernon, beautifully situated. The water near the banks being very low, the steam-boat stopped in the middle of the stream, about a mile from the shore, and we landed in boats. We ascended by a very bad road to a place where cattle were grazing, which I heard was formerly Washington’s garden. Between three oaks and some cypress trees, we saw a coarse wooden door about four feet high, in a very bad piece of masonry. I thought at first it was a spring-house. How great was my astonishment, when I learned that this was the entrance to the sepulchral vault of the greatest man of his time; the ornament of his age; ofWashington!

I picked up some acorns fallen from the trees which shaded the tomb; my object was to plant them when I returned home.I took also from this sacred spot a twig of a cypress tree. The tomb is no longer opened, since strangers have nearly cut to pieces the whole of the pall covering the coffin, in order to preserve it as a relic. It was last opened at the time of General La Fayette’s visit.

Thence we went to the dwelling-house, about three hundred paces distant, and situated on a hill, from which there is an extremely fine view of the Potomac. This estate belongs to Judge Washington, who, being absent upon business connected with his office the greatest part of the year, permits his inherited property to decay very much. He has no children. The house is two stories high, built of wood, and without taste. On the side next the river, it has a piazza, and on the other, is the entrance with stone steps, which are almost decayed. By means of a wooden colonade, the house communicates right and left with the wings and household buildings. Farther on, are houses for negro slaves, of whose dirty, ugly, and ragged children, we saw a great many running about. It being Sunday, we had much difficulty in finding access to the house; at last we succeeded in getting into the lower story, which has been left nearly in the same condition it was at the decease of its great possessor. But the number of books belonging to the library, has been increased by many new works by the present proprietor. A great many fine engravings decorate the walls, especially a very handsome Louis XVI. which Washington was presented with by that unfortunate monarch. On the gilt frame above, are the arms of France, and below, those of Washington’s family. In the four corners are the cyphers of the king and G. W. There are also two very good engravings, representing the battle of Bunker’s Hill, and the death of General Montgomery; four views of the attack of Gibraltar and its defence, and a miniature portrait of the great man painted on enamel. One of the keys of the Bastille, sent after its destruction by General La Fayette to Washington, is exposed in a case of glass, under it is a sepia drawing of the demolition of that prison. The furniture and other regulations of the rooms, are very plain; in the eating-room I observed a valuable chimneypiece of Italian marble, with handsome bas-reliefs, and two columns ofgallo-antico.

It is known that when General La Fayette was visiting Washington’s burial place, an eagle made his appearance in the air and hovered over the spot until the general had proceeded farther. We also observed to day a very large one, which seemed to observe us from the height; we saw him above us when we were embarking. He seemed to hover over the same spot for a long while, and when the last boat came near the steam-boat, he suddenly left the place, flew towards the wood, and was lost to sight.

In our travelling company, I became acquainted with Count Miot, who had formerly been minister of the interior in Naples, and afterwards in Spain, under Joseph Buonaparte, and now was travelling for pleasure, and to visit his ancient master. Mr. De Mareuil detained all the gentlemen of our party to dinner at his house, and we remained there till ten o’clock, very much pleased. At a ball given by Baron Mareuil, more than two hundred persons, the members of the diplomatic body, the first authorities of the country, and the principal inhabitants, were present. I met with General Bernard, and became acquainted with General Brown, an aged man, whose right side appeared to be palsied. The most interesting acquaintances I made, were those of Commodore Porter, whose name, as well as the important services he rendered to his country, and his late trial, have rendered him known to the world, and of Colonel Roberdeau, of the engineers. I became farther acquainted with Mr. Calvert, who told me his son had studied in Göttingen and had some time ago travelled to Weimar, where he was presented at court and was very well received. The ladies were very elegantly dressed, and danced very well. They danced mostly French quadrilles, but always with the same figures. The music was good, and by the marine band of the garrison. The ball, however, did not last long; I was one of the last to go, and came home at eleven o’clock. The president was not there; he does not accept any invitation in the city. The present president receives even the foreign ministers only when they have been announced by the secretary of state. The president is likewise exempt from returning visits, which he had already the kindness to give me notice of by Mrs. Sullivan, in Baltimore.

Another ball was given by General Brown, in honour of the marriage of Captain Gardner, of the fourth regiment of artillery. The gentlemen I found there were mostly officers of the army. There is scarcely an army in Europe in which the corps of officers is better composed than in the small American army; since in the United States no one can on any account be an officer, if he is not well educated. The officers are exclusively taken from the military academy in West Point; no subaltern officer is promoted. The greater part of the inferior officers who were advanced during the last war, had been dismissed. Such a measure is in this country unavoidably necessary, where none but people of the lowest class enlist as soldiers in the army; without such an interval between the officers and the rank and file, discipline could not be maintained. Therefore, if a young man is seen in the uniform of an American officer, it may with confidence be inferred that he is in every respect fit to maintain his place in the best society.

At the third ball, given by Mr. Huygens, we once more metwith a very pleasant company. I conversed a long time with Lieutenant Wolf Tone, of the first regiment of artillery. He is an Irishman by birth, educated in a French military school. He had been formerly in the French service, and is patronised by General Bernard.

At a visit I made to General Macomb and Major Vandeventer, at the war-office, the general showed me many drawings and plans of fortresses and entrenchments, together with two remarkable lists sent in every month from West Point by Lieutenant-Colonel Thayer. One of them contains the names of the best and worst cadets in every class, and the other the names of those who deserve to be rewarded, as well of others who have been punished, with indication of their faults; finally, of those who have been expelled, and the reason of their expulsion. Both lists are put in frames, under glass, and hung up in the general’s office; one is changed every fortnight, and the other every month. I was told by the general, that they saved him frequently from wasting conversation with the parents of the cadets.

The general conducted me also to the topographical office, being under the direction of Colonel Roberdeau. I found there several repeating circles, theodolites and telescopes, made by Troughton and Ramsden; also two transit instruments, destined for the observatory which is still to be built; an instrument by Troughton, which serves for measuring the ten-thousandth part of an English inch, and a model measure of the English yard, French mètre and litre. This gentleman regretted that the old English measures and weights are retained in the United States, instead of adopting, as it has been done in the Netherlands, the new French standard, which is much better.

There were also several good plans of battles and sieges of the revolutionary war, namely, those of the old fortresses Ticonderoga and Crownpoint, on Lake Champlain. I missed the most recent drawings. On the other hand, General Macomb showed me what they call the Indian department, where all business with the Indian tribes is attended to. There we found portraits of a great many Indian chiefs, and several of their wives, who have been at different periods in Washington, in order to compliment the president. They then receive medals according to their rank, which they wear by a riband round the neck. There were also several weapons and different ornaments of tribes I had already seen. Finally, I visited the ordnance department, which is under the direction of a colonel. I saw here a gun invented by Mr. Hall, at Harper’s Ferry, which is loaded from the breech, and with which five sure shots can be made in a minute. With this gun, three thousand discharges had been made, and it has provedvery exact; several have been ordered, and one or two companies are to be armed with them in case of war.

At a dinner given by the president, and at which I had the honour along with about forty persons, to be present, were the diplomatic body, the state secretaries, several generals, and other persons of distinction. Among them, I made the acquaintance of Mr. Gaillard,I.31of North Carolina, president pro tem. of the senate. No ladies were present, because Mrs. Adams was not well. The table furniture was very rich. I was particularly pleased with a service of silver gilt. The eating-room is very spacious, besides which there were two richly furnished rooms open. I remarked several handsome Sèvres, porcelain vessels, and a marble bust of the great Washington, by the Italian sculptor Ceracchi, who was afterwards shot in Paris, on account of a conspiracy against Napoleon’s life. A great chandelier was remarkably fine; it was made for the Emperor Napoleon, and purchased in the year 1815, by the American minister in Paris. The imperial eagles now pass for American.

General Brown,I.32during a visit, showed me a large gold medal which was presented to him by congress, on account of his services in the late war. On one side of it is a bust of the general, and on the other a trophy of English arms surrounding a fasces. Four shields bear the names, Sackett’s Harbour, Niagara, Chippewa, and Erie, with the dates on which these places witnessed the general’s deeds. At the foot of the trophy an American eagle is represented, holding in his talons an English banner. This medal is not intended to be worn: the general preserves it in a box. The American citizens are not allowed to wear any foreign decorations; even General Bernard was obliged to lay aside those he had so truly merited. General Brown showed me also a gold box, presented to him by the city of New York, together with the freedom of the city.

On the 14th of November I began to make farewell visits, for the dwellings in Washington are so far distant, that such visits require a great deal of time. On this occasion, I had a long conversation with the secretary of war, Mr. Barbour, and general Macomb, on military subjects. I differed in opinion from the secretary about the efficiency of militia men, of whom he, as their former general,I.33seemed to entertain too high an opinion. At Mr. de Wallenstein’s I saw some good instruments; a barometer for measuring heights, and a telescope which he had adopted as a transit-instrument. I found there also Krusenstern’slarge Atlas of the South Sea, a fine work on bad paper. Mr. de Wallenstein had translated an astronomical work from the Spanish into English; he had also an English copy of theillustrationsofGöthe’sFaust laid open. With General Bernard I conversed for a long while on the science of military engineering. He told me he had served at the defence of two fortresses, and obtained the experience, that there can be no strong defence, without having covered works on the front of attack. Respecting coast batteries, he was of opinion that the best were those which had at least an elevation of thirty feet above the surface of the water, in order that the rebounding shots coming from ships should not attain the breastwork. He considered the establishments for military instruction in this country susceptible of great improvements. He had proposed to establish a military exercise school, to which should be alternately sent battalions of infantry, and companies of artillery; this proposition has not been adopted. The general said also a great deal about the importance of Anvers, and gave me many interesting explanations of Napoleon’s designs in fortifying that place. Finally, the conversation turned on the battle of Waterloo, at which the General had been present as aid to the Emperor. Tears came into the eyes of this gallant man, while speaking of his former master.

On the last day of my stay in Washington, I took a ride with Messrs. Huygens, and Mr. de Bresson; we went to the marine barracks, where, by order of the secretary of war, experiments with Hall’s muskets were to be made. Mr. Hall, who is inspector of the gun manufactory at Harper’s Ferry, was present himself.

Experiments were made on the celerity of firing; Mr. Hall fired with his gun, and the sergeant major of the marines with an ordinary infantry musket. The last could make but four shots in a minute; whilst Mr. Hall made six. He has also applied his invention to ordinary infantry muskets and rifles, and caused them to be constructed at Harper’s Ferry. They cost the government eighteen dollars a piece. An essential improvement would be to introduce percussion fire-locks. Moreover these arms can only be given into the hands of very well exercised men. The government intends to arm the left wing companies with them. For the riflemen or light infantry, this gun seems to be very well suited. I expressed a desire that Mr. Hall would make such a gun for me; but he replied, that being in the service of the government, he was not allowed to make any without particular permission of the secretary of war. The few marines in quarters were paraded under the command of a Lieutenant, and I was received with music and presented arms.The whole of the marine corps is composed of but seven hundred men, who were employed on board the squadrons in the Mediterranean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and in the South Sea, to serve on board the receiving ships, and in the navy yards of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington and Norfolk. Hopes were entertained, that the next congress would consent to augment this corps to the number of fifteen hundred men, and this augmentation would, no doubt, have a great influence on the improvement of the service.

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Departure from Washington.—Fredericktown.—Harper’s Ferry.—Blue Ridge.—Staunton.—Natural Bridge.—Wier’s Cave.—Charlotteville.—University of Virginia.—Monticello.—Richmond.—Jamestown.—Norfolk.—Fort Monroe.—Fayetteville.—Columbia.

Onthe 15th of November, I set out from Washington with Mr. Huygens, jr., who was desirous of accompanying me by permission of his father. I had hired a carriage with four horses to Harper’s Ferry, about fifty miles from Washington, where we were to arrive in two days. The road was for some miles very good, but afterwards it became bad and rugged and continued so the rest of the day. We left the District of Columbia, and again entered the state of Maryland. The country through which we were passing was hilly, covered with wood, and in some places cultivated; single large houses belonging to tobacco planters, and in their vicinity small ones for the negro slaves, were scattered here and there. We went through only one decent place called Rocksville. About seven o’clock in the evening we reached an inn called Scholl’s tavern, situated in the township of Clarksburg, distant from Washington twenty-five miles.

Next morning we left Clarksburg; it was pretty cool, and the road as rough as before. It was fifteen miles to Fredericktown, over a hilly and rocky country. Sometimes we saw handsome prospects on the mountains of the Blue Ridge, which we were approaching. The houses that we passed by, were like those of yesterday; the negro houses mostly of wood, with clumsy chimnies, built close to the house. The Monocacy river we passed at a ford within four miles of Fredericktown. This is one of the principal places in the state of Maryland, and is situated ina well cultivated country surrounded by hills. It has about five thousand inhabitants, and is built very regularly. At the entrance of one of the streets stood a wooden triumphal arch raised in honour of General La Fayette. The inscriptions were already nearly effaced by the weather. I had hardly alighted at the tavern, when I received a visit from a clergyman of this place named Dr. Schaeffer, a son of a preacher of the same name in Philadelphia. This gentleman accompanied me to see Mr. Schley, whom I had known in Saratoga, and afterwards we went to a Lutheran church, a very plain building. We ascended the spire in order to have a view of the town and surrounding country. The country appeared to be very well cultivated; their principal agricultural object is tobacco. There are four churches, Lutheran, Reformed, Catholic and Methodist. The public buildings are the Court-house and prison.

Harper’s Ferry was yet twenty-one miles distant from Fredericktown. The country grew at every moment more hilly, and the road rugged and worse; as we were approaching the Blue Ridge, we often alighted and walked. We met with several herds and flocks, which are driven from the western states to different seaports for sale. The wagons we met were generally carrying products of the west; they were large wagons with five stout horses. Every horse had on its collar a set of bells, consisting of five different tones, which made a very singular music.

Meanwhile, our road passed mostly through forest; we went through but a single insignificant village called Newton. The mountains grew higher and more rocky. At last we came again to the Potomac, which we had left the day before, and enjoyed many fine views.

This country reminded me of Pranen, near Dresden. It was night when we arrived on the left bank of the Potomac, opposite to Harper’s Ferry; we were obliged to wait for a considerable length of time for the ferry-boat. When this came, we saw it was conducted by an intoxicated negro; even the ferry-boat itself was very bad; however, we fortunately crossed the shallow river, passing amidst pieces of rocks, and perceived at some distance up, three piers standing in the river, on which the next year, a bridge was to be built. Having crossed, we came into the state of Virginia. At Harper’s Ferry, we took our lodgings in a neat tavern; and I had here the pleasure to see Dr. Weise, from Dresden, who, as soon as he knew I had arrived, came to see me. I take the liberty of inserting here the following description of this country, byThomas Jefferson, in his “Notes on the State of Virginia.”

“The passage of the Potomac through the Blue Ridge is perhaps one of the most stupendous scenes in nature. You standon a very high point of land. On your right comes up the Shenandoah, having ranged along the foot of the mountain an hundred miles to seek a vent. On your left approaches the Potomac, in quest of a passage also. In the moment of their junction they rush together against the mountain, rend it asunder, and pass off to the sea. The first glance of this scene hurries our senses into the opinion, that this earth has been created in time, that the mountains were formed first, that the rivers began to flow afterwards, that in this place particularly they have been dammed up by the Blue Ridge of mountains, and have formed an ocean which filled the whole valley; that continuing to rise they have at length broken over at this spot, and have torn the mountain down from its summit to its base. The piles of rock on each hand, but particularly on the Shenandoah, the evident marks of their disrupture and avulsion from their beds, by the most powerful agents of nature, corroborate the impression. But the distant finishing which nature has given to the picture, is of a very different character. It is a true contrast to the foreground. It is as placid and delightful, as that is wild and tremendous. For the mountain being cloven asunder, she presents to your eye, through the cleft, a small catch of smooth blue horizon, at an infinite distance in the plain country, inviting you, as it were, from the riot and tumult roaring around, to pass through the breach and participate of the calm below. Here the eye ultimately composes itself; and that way too the road happens actually to lead. You cross the Potomac above the junction, pass along its side through the base of the mountain for three miles, its terrible precipices hanging in fragments over you, and within about twenty miles reach Fredericktown, and the fine country round that. This scene is worth a voyage across the Atlantic. Yet here, as in the neighbourhood of the Natural Bridge, are people who have passed their lives within half a dozen miles, and have never been to survey these monuments of a war between rivers and mountains, which must have shaken the earth itself to its centre.”

The morning after my arrival at Harper’s Ferry, I visited Mr. Stubbersfield, director of the gun manufactory, to whom I was recommended by the secretary of war, and he showed me the establishments under his orders. The workshops are in seven large stone buildings, of which the interior partitions, with regret be it spoken, are of wood. The buildings stand in rows, four at the foot of the mountain, and opposite to them, three on the bank of the Potomac. At the entrance of the street which they form, is Mr. Stubbersfield’s office, from which he can overlook the entrances of all the buildings. The machines are moved by water-wheels. All the buildings are two stories high; in thelower part are the forges, and in the higher stories, workmen who use no fire in their work. In the working of iron I saw nothing new. The iron employed for barrels, comes from Juniata, in the state of Pennsylvania, and is in plates, of which each is calculated for one barrel. The steel is German, called Halbach’s steel, furnished by Mr. Halbach, of Philadelphia. Every gun must pass through one hundred and twenty hands before it is ready. A particular workman is appointed for every part and paid for it separately, when the work has been duly examined, and proved to be good. A skilful and diligent workman can gain two dollars per day. When the workmen have prepared all the parts of a fire-lock, they deliver them to a man who examines, tries them, and puts them together. The barrels are turned by means of rings, which can be rendered smaller or larger. The machinery for making gun-stocks was the most interesting to me, because it was formerly a very laborious work. A piece of iron is screwed upon a piece of wood, which has been made in the form of a stock, at the place where the barrel is to be placed. After this the piece is screwed into the machinery; in a parallel direction to it a piece of iron is screwed, having the same form that is to be given to the stock. The planing is performed by means of a wheel, to which are adapted ledge-planes. The operation begins with the muzzle, and ends with the breech of the gun. The gun-stock moves together with the iron model, each round its axis, having a parallel direction with the axis of a plain wheel of brass, which is rubbing on the iron model, and following all its prominences and cavities. This wheel is also put in motion and drawn towards the breech by means of an endless screw; during this motion it planes the gun-stock off, and gives it the proper form. This operation lasts six or seven minutes, and there is nothing to prevent it from turning at the same time another gun-stock on the other side. The gun-stock being duly formed, is taken out of the machinery, and another put in its place; then the iron piece is taken away from the turned gun-stock, it is fixed in acramp, and applied to a bore-plane for making the groove to receive the barrel.

This manufactory, and that of Springfield, the only ones belonging to the government, furnishes at present in time of peace, fifteen thousand guns yearly. These guns are generally browned by the process indicated by Dupin, also, the rings and bayonets, the last of which are kept bright by the British.

Mr. Stubbersfield conducted me also to the arsenal, in which the finished muskets are delivered, and are either here preserved, or packed up in cases by twenty, and sent to other arsenals. In the interior of the arsenal, every thing is of wood, notwithstanding the great importance of being fire-proof, as it contains sucha large capital. There were eighty-four thousand guns. If the value of one be estimated only at thirteen dollars, it makes the sum of one million and ninety-two thousand dollars.

From the arsenal, we were conducted to a new manufactory, half a mile from the town, where Mr. Hall’s patent guns are constructed under his own direction. He not being present, I was not fortunate enough to find any body to explain the machinery, which appeared not yet in full action. Dr. Weise, went with us to a mountain above this place, called Jefferson’s Rock. The prospect from it is really very fine; it agrees with the description, yet I believe I have seen finer landscapes in Germany. From that place also, the town can be surveyed, the houses of which appeared to be rather scattered; of its fifteen hundred inhabitants, three hundred are working in the gun manufactory. The ground for the most part belongs to the government, and well recommended persons obtain permission to build upon it. On an elevation, near Jefferson’s Rock, a large building, three stories high, has been erected. The first story was intended for a church, the second for a Lancasterian school, and the third for a free mason’s lodge. I suffered very much from a very cold wind, which brought with it a little snow. In the evening, Dr. Weise came to me with a bridge builder, who was a native of Reuslingen, who came here thirty years ago as a baker, and then had learned the art of constructing mills and bridges. The second bridge on the Schuylkill, above Philadelphia, built of a single arch, is of his invention, and the next year he was to build one here over the Potomac.

On the 19th of November, we left Harper’s ferry in a clear, but very cold morning, and set off on a journey to the Natural Bridge, which is one hundred and seventy-five miles distant. We rode in an ordinary stage. The improvement of stages, appears not yet to have extended beyond the Blue Mountains, because we were obliged to be contented with one, which was in every respect very uncomfortable. The way led us through a hilly country and was very bad. We went for a considerable distance on rocks; on the road, a great many loose stones were lying, and I was surprised, that our miserable vehicle was not broken to pieces. At break of day, we arrived at a small place called Smithfield, eighteen miles from Harper’s ferry. A couple of miles farther, we came to warm Sulphur Springs, the water of which has the taste of spoiled eggs, like that of Aix-la-Chapelle. It seems to be very little known, as there is no enclosure around it, and no houses near. A lucky chance will no doubt make it known, and I should not be surprised, were I to come hither again in fifteen or twenty years, to find at this spot an elegant watering place, somewhat like Saratoga Springs. The road continuedthrough a forest of oak, chesnut, acacia, and cedar trees; houses were seldom met with. We forded many creeks, the most considerable of them is called Cedar creek. We observed also some grist-mills. It froze pretty hard, so that the borders of the creeks were covered with a pretty thick ice, and large icicles hung on the sluices of the mills. Eleven miles beyond Smithfield, we came to Winchester, a very nice country town, where the houses are mostly of masonry, and form a long principal street, intersected by other smaller ones; it has a market-house, and many stores, which appeared to be very well provided. Here we changed our stage for a better one, although still very inconvenient. The wood of which it was constructed was hickory, which has a great deal of elasticity.

From Winchester, we went to Stephensbury, eight miles farther, to Middleton, then to Strasburg, six miles, and at last to Woodstock, twelve miles, where we passed the night. This place is sixty-one miles distant from Harper’s ferry. We reached our night-quarters in the evening about six o’clock, in a very cold night and a fine moonshine. The places between Winchester and Woodstock were not considerable, except Strasburg, which is more ancient than the others, and appears to have a larger population. The houses are generally of wood and covered with shingles, although a great number of stones are found here. The country became at last very fine. On our left we saw the Blue Ridge, from which we now withdrew at every moment. Another ridge, in a parallel direction with the former, called the Northern Ridge, rose suddenly between us and the Blue Ridge, which soon entirely disappeared. On our right there was another ridge of mountains, it was an arm of the Alleghany Mountains, and we went through a valley at least ten miles wide. The formation of these parallel ridges is very singular, and no instance occurs of it in the other parts of the world. The country was pretty well cultivated, and by the exterior appearance of many country-houses, we were induced to believe their inhabitants enjoyed plenty. The enclosures of fields are here, for the most part, the above-mentioned old fences, yet next to the houses they are of masonry carefully formed. As it appeared, they travel here much on horseback. On account of great distances between the plantations, almost all the ladies can ride on horseback; we met several of them elegantly dressed, and also black women. The race of horses of this country, appears to be a very strong one. They use also oxen for drawing; to many carts were put two oxen, and before them two horses. On the 20th of November, we left Woodstock at half-past two o’clock in the morning, in a very miserable stage, and proceeded to Staunton, seventy-one miles distant, on a still more rugged road than that of yesterday; inthis place we passed the night. The places on our way were mostly insignificant: only Shryock, New Market, Big Spring, and Harrisonburg, deserve to be mentioned; the last of them is said to have from eight to nine hundred inhabitants. The greatest part of the houses were wooden ones, and but a few of masonry. This part of the state of Virginia does not bear comparison with Massachusetts, New York, or even Pennsylvania. The great number of slaves in this state, makes also a very bad impression.I.34The largest part of the country is not covered with wood, and appears to be well cultivated. As for the rest it is very hilly, and on our left hand we had all day the ridge of North Mountains, of which, however, we could not see much, owing to the fogginess of the weather. We crossed many streams at fords; these streams were rather torrents. We crossed the Shenandoah near its source. About seven o’clock in the evening we reached Staunton, and took our lodgings in an unpleasant tavern. This long and uncomfortable journey, in an extremely bad stage, and upon a very rough way, made me quite uneasy, and my young travelling companion more so, for he seemed not to be very much accustomed to such fatigues. I suffered, however, this want of comfort with a great deal of patience.

On the 21st of November, we were obliged to stay in Staunton, because the stage goes only every other day to the Natural Bridge, which is on the road to Knoxville and Louisville, and this bridge being too far distant from Staunton, we could not, with a hired carriage, go there, and return within two days. We employed the leisure forced upon us in examining the country. The town itself is small, has about one thousand six hundred inhabitants, and consists, properly speaking, of but two principal streets, intersecting each other at right angles. The greatest part of the houses are of wood, covered with shingles. Staunton is the chief place of Augusta county; the court was in session, and on that account a great many lawyers were present. The town is surrounded by hills and covered with wood, as far as I could observe in the foggy weather, which lasted all day. The Shenandoah here is but a small brook; opposite the town is a limestone rock, having many cavities. I was told they were very spacious. I tried to creep in, but found the entrance so narrow and low, that I was obliged to give it up. I had obtained fromMrs. Weightman, in Washington, a letter of introduction to Dr. Scheffey, her brother-in-law, and the most renowned lawyer in the place. I delivered it, and received a visit from this gentleman. He came with several of his brother lawyers, and among them three generals of militia were introduced. Dr. Scheffey himself was a major, and almost every inhabitant of distinction is invested with a rank in the militia. The custom being here to call one another by their military rank, one is tempted to believe himself transported to the head-quarters of some army! In conversing with these gentlemen, I observed with astonishment the aristocratical spirit which the Virginians possess. I was astonished to hear them praising hereditary nobility and primogeniture! In the evening I went to see Dr. Scheffey, and we spent the time very pleasantly over a good glass of wine, and in rational conversation.

The next morning, I left my baggage in Staunton at half past two o’clock, in a miserable stage, in order to go to the Natural Bridge, upon a very bad road. We passed only two decent places, Fairfield and Lexington, the last is the chief town of Rockbridge county, and has a court and high school. On account of a fog, which lasted all day, we could see but little of the country, which in some parts of Rockbridge county becomes very mountainous. We forded two small streams, called Middle river and Buffalo creek, over the last there is a wooden bridge, which is made use of only at very high water. Our travelling company was not the most agreeable, it was composed of two Americans, who did not open their mouths, and of an Irish resident, who talked the more for the silence of the others; all this was disagreeable enough. At times he became interesting, when he had cheered his heart with whiskey. We passed by many very handsome country-houses; at one of them we saw eight large black eagles sitting on a fence, they were fed by the care of the proprietor. The inhabitants seem not very fond of shooting, for I saw snipes in Fairfield, which flew even into the yard of the tavern. Game is here very abundant, a deer costs about a dollar and a half.

In the afternoon we reached a lonely tavern, situated in the mountains called Natural Bridge, which is fifty miles distant from Staunton. I availed myself of the short time the sun remained above the horizon to hasten to the Natural Bridge, which is a mile and a half distant from the tavern, and for the sake of which I had made so great a circuit and suffered so many fatigues. A young negro slave from the tavern was our conductor; the way lead through mountains overgrown with wood. At last I stood upon a rock whence I could overlook the cleft and the bridge just before me. In Jefferson’s Notes, that learned man gives a description of the bridge, which is as follows:

“The Natural Bridge, the most sublime of Nature’s works, though not comprehended under the present head, must not be pretermitted. It is on the ascent of a hill, which seems to have been cloven through its length by some great convulsion. The fissure just at the bridge, is by some admeasurements, two hundred and seventy feet deep, by others only two hundred and five. It is about forty-five feet wide at the bottom, and ninety feet at the top; this of course determines the length of the bridge, and its height from the water, its breadth in the middle is about sixty feet, but more at the ends, and the thickness of the mass, at the summit of the arch about forty feet. A part of this thickness is constituted by a coat of earth, which gives growth to many large trees. The residue, with the hill on both sides, is one solid rock of limestone.—The arch approaches the semi-elliptical form, but the larger axis of the ellipsis, which would be the chord of the arch, is many times longer than the transverse. Though the sides of this bridge are provided in some parts with a parapet of fixed rocks, yet few men have resolution to walk to them, and look over into the abyss. You involuntarily fall on your hands and feet, creep to the parapet, and peep over it. Looking down from this height about a minute, gave me a violent head-ache. If the view from the top be painful and intolerable, that from below is delightful in an equal extreme. It is impossible for the emotions arising from the sublime, to be felt beyond what they are here: so beautiful an arch, so elevated, so light, and springing as it were up to heaven! The rapture of the spectator is really indiscribable! The fissure continuing narrow, deep, and straight, for a considerable distance above and below the bridge, opens a short but very pleasing view of the North Mountain on one side and Blue Ridge on the other, at the distance each of them of about five miles. This bridge is in the county of Rockbridge, to which it has given name, and affords a public and commodious passage over a valley, which cannot be crossed elsewhere for a considerable distance. The stream passing under it is called Cedar creek. It is a water of James’s river, and sufficient in the driest seasons to turn a grist-mill, though its fountain is not more than two miles above.”

I confess that I am no poet; yet I was very glad to have taken the trouble of coming hither; this rock-bridge being certainly one of the greatest wonders of nature I have ever beheld; and I have seen Vesuvius and the Phlegrean fields, the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland, the Island of Staffa, and the Falls of Niagara! The brook under the bridge was almost dry; the most majestic view is from below.

On the 23d of November we left the wretched tavern at the Natural Bridge, and returned to Staunton in a crowded stage,in which were four gentlemen from the state of Tennessee, members of congress, going to Washington. I took my seat as usual alongside the coachman, where I had more room and fresh air. We returned as far as Lexington by the road we left it. Having stopped for a short while here, I was the object of much curiosity to the German descendants who are settled here. The town of Lexington was first established about forty years ago, and it now contains eleven hundred inhabitants. In its vicinity upon a hill, is a large arsenal covered with zinc, belonging to the United States.

From Lexington we took another road which led us through the considerable villages of Brownsburgh and Middleburgh. The road was in some places very bad, and terribly rough; but we sometimes found a side road, which in that dry season was still very good; it ran generally through a forest. We saw lonely houses and met with many travellers on horseback, several of them were well dressed white women. All our coachmen in this state were whites; I was surprised at this, knowing that black coachmen could be had at a cheaper rate, and was told that in this state, blacks were not allowed to drive the mail stage.

On the 24th of November, after nine o’clock in the morning, we set out from Staunton in a hired coach, in order to pass by a circuitous route the celebrated Wier’s cave, and thence continue our journey to Charlotteville, whither we had sent our heavy baggage by the stage.

As far as Wier’s cave, eighteen miles distant, we had a good country road. We took our lodgings in a lonely house belonging to Mr. Mohler, a German from Pennsylvania, of Saxon origin. The way was through a hilly, woody country; many breaks in the earth presented limestone rocks, and announced the proximity of caves. For a sportsman this country must be delightful, for we saw in the woods two flocks of partridges, which left the road, only to give way to the passing carriage, and then settled at not more than ten paces from us. On the banks of the creeks we saw a great number of snipes. Mohler’s house is situated on a considerable creek, called the South river, which by means of a canal, works a grist-mill and forge.

The grist-mill belongs to a miller, who has also a whiskey distillery, and upwards of one hundred acres of land, with four negro slaves. He cultivates wheat, some rye, and a great quantity of Indian corn. His mill, a large stone building, is arranged very compendiously, and reminded me of the large steam-mill at Baltimore. There are only two pairs of stones, one for wheat, and the other for Indian corn. The boulted flour is conveyed to the upper floor by means of elevators, and spread upon it by a rake, which has a circular and horizontal motion, in order to cool it.He sends his flour packed up in barrels to Richmond, and even to Baltimore. The industrious Mohler has connected with his grist-mill, a saw-mill, and a mill to break flax, which is likewise cultivated, though not in a large quantity; this year, on account of the dryness, it has failed.

The entrance of the cave is about a mile and a half from Mohler’s house, and is situated in the middle of a steep side of a mountain on the bank of the South river. We crept down the hollow, every one provided with a taper, and came directly into a space where we could stand up; there were some beautiful stalactites, mostly in columns. This place is called theantichamber. Then we arrived at a hall called dragon’s room, from a stalactite, which is said to have the form of a dragon. Several of the stalactites are not unlike waterfalls; one of them is called Niagara Falls.

The following gallery is called the Devil’s gallery, from a figure standing in it; yet I found in this figure more resemblance to a statue of the virgin, than to that of a devil.

A whole stratum of the stalactites detached from the roof of the cavern, was as it were, suspended between heaven and earth, and afforded a fine view, especially as a new formation of stalactites took place between the roof and the suspended stratum.

A narrow hollow passage leads into a more spacious cavern called Solomon’s Temple; here are very singular and mostly foliated transparent stalactites, hanging from the roof down to the floor. Not far from that cavern is another, named hide-room, in which the stalactites hang down in form of hides in a tannery. Then we came into another vault, which is called the drum-room, because if a stone is thrown against the stalactites, they give a sound resembling that of a drum. Some of the stalactites having the form of sticks, and ranged in circles, produce all the sounds of an octave, if struck with a stick. You pass afterwards through a narrow passage, by an opening, which looks like an antique tomb in ruins, and is called Patterson’s grave, in commemoration of an individual of that name who fell in there. By means of a rather rotten ladder, you come now into a very high smooth saloon, eighty feet long, called the ball-room, in which benches are placed; I was told that visitors having ladies with them, entertained themselves here very often with dancing. Then you ascend another ladder, and creep on all fours through a narrow hollow, which has been partly enlarged by a mine, when you arrive at a natural, but very slippery staircase, called Jacob’s ladder, which you descend; then passing through a narrow dungeon, you get into a more spacious room, named Senate-chamber, when by means of a rotten ladder you reach a long gallery, called Washington-hall, from a large stalactite standing in the middleof it, and having the form of a statue, which is called Washington’s statue.

Not far from this statue, there is a small fountain, the water of which, though very thirsty, I did not venture to drink, having some days since experienced bad consequences from drinking water from limestone rocks. Next to this hall, is a place in which the stalactites covering the rock, have a shining crystalline-like surface, wherefore this vault is called the diamond room. Farther on, you get in a large saloon called the dining room, in which the stalactites represent something not unlike a side-board set with bottles and tumblers. In Washington-hall there is a heap of this filtered stone, called the hay-stack, and over it hangs another stalactite, having the form of a rake.

From the dining room, we passed into the last cave, that had been hitherto visited, by the name of Jefferson’s-hall, in which are seen several clefts, and I am persuaded that a new passage could be easily opened, and new caves discovered. In different spots of the cavern, where the crust of the stalactites is broken, we saw hollows, which have not yet been examined. Such an undertaking, seems the more worth while, as this cave is probably in communication with the Madison’s cave, which was discovered by Jefferson, many years ago, and is in the same mountain; its entrance being only three hundred yards distant from that of Wier’s cave.

Wier’s cave was discovered in the year 1806, by a German farmer named Wier; Madison’s cave is not any longer visited; it is said also, that its finest stalactites have been destroyed by the indiscretion of strangers.

My attention in Wier’s cave, was particularly attracted by plates, which came off from the roof of the cavern, and hang from it, so that new stalactites have been formed between them and the roof, the last giving the others a very singular form. One of these plates looks like a large shell of mother of pearl,—another, like a looking-glass. The cave is of course damp, from the dripping of water, but it is less so than I expected, and less than is the case in such caves in Germany and England. The temperature was pretty high, and the air very pure. Our candles burnt with a bright flame, and we felt no difficulty in breathing.

From Jefferson’s hall, we began our rather difficult retreat, and came again into day-light, which was already decreasing.

We spent the rest of the evening with our friendly landlord, by a chimney fire; he had a bible in folio, printed in Nuremberg in the year 1765, with the portraits of my ancestors, the Grand Duke William IV., the Grand Duke Bernhard, and others.

It was interesting to me, to be reminded of my family in sucha way, when in the interior of Virginia, and beyond the Blue Ridge.

On the 25th of November, we set out for Charlotteville, thirty-two miles distant, passing over the Blue Ridge. The road is through a country little cultivated, and without a single village; and the number of separate houses could scarcely be more than a dozen. After we had gone about five miles, we arrived at the western base of the Blue Ridge, which affords an agreeable view, being overgrown with wood up to the top. Then we entered a narrow valley, and when the road began to ascend, we alighted and walked over the mountains. I was surprised to find the road less steep than I expected, and it was also pretty good. From elevated places, the day being not so foggy as the preceding ones, we had many fine views of the mountains. The wood consisted of oak trees, and different kinds of nut trees; here and there were colossal fir, larch, Weymouth’s pine and acacia trees. Evergreen rhododendrons, for which some amateurs in Europe spend a great deal of money, are growing here in abundance, also wild vines, which wind themselves round the trees. The prospect on the mountains would have been more pleasant, had there been some marks of human dwellings, but we saw only two miserable log houses, inhabited by dirty and ragged negro families, on the whole tract for eight miles over the mountains; and we met but a few carts loaded with flour.

Having crossed the Blue Ridge, we arrived at a good-looking country house, and a mill called Brown’s Farm, situated at the base of the mountains, and took our dinner there. This house is surrounded by fields belonging to it, and from its piazza there is a very fine view of the mountains. From this place we had yet twenty miles to Charlotteville. The road became less hilly, at least we had no more mountains to cross; however, the road continued very rough, and we were rudely jolted. About eight o’clock in the evening we reached Charlotteville, in which the houses appeared to be scattered. In its vicinity is a new establishment for education, called University of Virginia. The next morning we went to see the university, which is one mile distant from the town.

This establishment has been open since March, 1824, and it is said to have already one hundred and thirty students; but a spirit of insubordination has caused many of the pupils to be sent away. The buildings are all new, and yet some of them seem to threaten to fall in, which may be the case with several others also, being chiefly built of wood. The interior of the library was not yet finished, but according to its plan it will be a beautiful one. The dome is made after the model of the Pantheon in Rome, reduced one half. This place is intended forpublic meetings of the academy: but it is said that an echo is heard in case of loud speaking, which renders the voice of the speaker unintelligible.

Under the rotunda are three elliptical halls, the destination of which is not yet entirely determined. The set of columns on the outside of this building, I was told is to be a very fine one; the capitals were made in Italy.

As for the rest, the ten buildings on the right and left are not at all regularly built, but each of them in a different manner, so that there is no harmony in the whole, which prevents it from having a beautiful and majestic appearance.

The garden walls of the lateral building are also in crooked lines, which gives them a singular but handsome appearance. The buildings have been executed according to Mr. Jefferson’s plan, and are his hobby; he is rector of the University, in the construction of which the state of Virginia is said to have laid out considerable sums of money.

We addressed a gentleman whom we met by chance, in order to get some information, and we had every reason to be satisfied with his politeness. It was Dr. Dunglison, professor of medicine. He is an Englishman, and came last year with three other professors from Europe. He showed us the library, which was still inconsiderable, and has been provisionally arranged in a lecture room; it contained some German belles lettres works, among others a series of Kotzebue’s calendar of dramatical works. It was said a great quantity of books was coming from Europe.

The university is situated on a hill in a very healthy situation, and there is a very fine view of the Blue Ridge. President Jefferson invited us to a family dinner; but as in Charlotteville there is but a single hackney-coach, and this being absent, we were obliged to go the three miles to Monticello on foot.

We went by a pathway, through well cultivated and enclosed fields, crossed a creek named Rivanna, passing on a trunk of a tree cut in a rough shape, and without rails; then ascended a steep hill overgrown with wood, and came on its top to Mr. Jefferson’s house, which is in an open space, walled round with bricks, forming an oblong, whose shorter sides are rounded; on each of the longer sides are portals of four columns.

The unsuccessful waiting for a carriage, and our long walk, caused such a delay, that we found the company at table when we entered; but Mr. Jefferson came very kindly to meet us, forced us to take our seats, and ordered dinner to be served up anew. He was an old man of eighty-six years of age, of tall stature, plain appearance, and long white hair.

In conversation he was very lively, and his spirits, as also his hearing and sight, seemed not to have decreased at all with hisadvancing age. I found in him a man who retained his faculties remarkably well in his old age, and one would have taken him for a man of sixty. He asked me what I had seen in Virginia. I eulogized all the places, that I was certain would meet with his approbation, and he seemed very much pleased. The company at the table, consisted of the family of his daughter, Mrs. Randolph, and of that of the professor of mathematics at the university, an Englishman, and of his wife. I turned the conversation to the subject of the university, and observed, that this was the favourite topic with Mr. Jefferson; he entertained very sanguine hopes as to the flourishing state of the university in future, and believed that it, and the Harvard University near Boston, would in a very short time be the only institutions, where the youth of the United States would receive a truly classical and solid education. After dinner we intended to take our leave, in order to return to Charlotteville; but Mr. Jefferson would not consent to it. He pressed us to remain for the night at his house. The evening was spent by the fire; a great deal was said about travels, and objects of natural history; the fine arts were also introduced, of which Mr. Jefferson was a great admirer. He spoke also of his travels in France, and the country on the Rhine, where he was very much pleased. His description of Virginia is the best proof what an admirer he is of beauties of nature. He told us that it was only eight months since he could not ride on horseback; otherwise, he rode every day to visit the surrounding country; he entertained, however, hopes of being able to re-commence the next spring his favourite exercise. Between nine and ten o’clock in the evening, the company broke up, and a handsome room was assigned to me.

The next morning I took a walk round the house, and admired the beautiful panorama, which this spot presents. On the left, I saw the Blue Ridge, and between them and Monticello are smaller hills. Charlotteville and the University lay at my feet; before me, the valley of the Rivanna river, which farther on, makes its junction with the James river, and on my right was the flat part of Virginia, the extent of which is lost in distance; behind me was a towering hill, which limited the sight. The interior of the house was plain, and the furniture somewhat of an old fashion. In the entrance was a marble stove with Mr. Jefferson’s bust, by Ceracchi. In the rooms hung several copies of the celebrated pictures of the Italian school, views of Monticello,Mount Vernon, the principal buildings in Washington and Harper’s Ferry; there were also an oil painting, and an engraving of the Natural Bridge, views of Niagara by Vanderlin, a sketch of the large picture by Trumbull, representing the surrender at Yorktown, and a pen drawing of Hector’s departure,by Benjamin West, presented by him to GeneralKosciuszko, finally, several portraits of Mr. Jefferson, among which the best was that in profile by Stuart. In the saloon there were two busts, one of Napoleon as first consul, and another of the Emperor Alexander. Mr. Jefferson admired Napoleon’s military talents, but did not love him. After breakfast, which we took with the family, we bid the respectable old man farewell, and set out upon our return on foot to Charlotteville.

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