A TOUR

THROUGH

THE UNITED STATES.

HAVING some business to transact in this country, I left the Talbot Settlement for New York on the 15th of August last. On the 18th, I crossed the river Niagara, and found myself, for the first time, in the territory of the United States. I intended to take a seat in the stage from Lewiston to Rochester; but I found, on arriving at Lewiston, that an hour had elapsed since the departure of the coach.

Being unwilling to remain in Lewiston till the next morning, I hired a waggon, and arrived on the same evening at Oak Orchard, a village 45 miles from Lewiston. Here I waited fill the fol lowing day for the coach; but, on its arrival, Í found it impossible to procure a seat. Again disappointed, I asked the keeper of the tavern where I lodged, if he could let me have a horse to ride as far as the New Canal, about six miles from Oak

Orchard. After waiting an hour, I was furnished with a horse, bridle, and saddle, but no girths. Notwithstanding this deficiency, I mounted; for in America it is quite unfashionable to be exceedingly particular. I soon arrived at a part of the canal, where some workmen were engaged in the construction of an aqueduct. In the course of my conversation with some of the men, I learnt, that each of them received 13 dollars-—£2 18s. 6d. La month, beside board and lodging. Although this great national undertaking was commenced only 5 years ago, the canal is already navigable for a distance of 200 miles. It is intended to connect Lake Erie with the River Hudson; and the total expence of completing the cut, which will be 350 miles long, is estimated at 8,000,000 dollars, or £1,800,000.

T

The inhabitants of New York are indebted to De Witt Clinton, their late Governor, for all the benefits which will accrue to them from the facili ties afforded by this canal. For if it had not been for the perseverance and influence of that distin guished statesman, the present race of men had not even seen the project commenced. No national undertaking of such obvious utility as this, ever met with greater opposition. Every argument which the ingenuity or absurdity of the Statelegislature could supply, was called forth in the discussion of the Bill. One of the members opposed it, on the principle that it would be impossible to find a sufficient supply of water for a canal of

such large dimensions! But this ridiculous argument was set aside by another gentleman, who proved the fallacy of his honourable friend's argument by declaring his conviction, that, "if there "were not a single spring in the country, the tears "of the inhabitants would afford an adequate sup"ply for at least a century!"

After inspecting the canal for nearly two hours, I returned to Oak Orchard, without having experienced any serious inconvenience from the want of girths to my saddle.

The road from Lewiston to Rochester is commonly called "the Ridge Road," or "the Alluvial Way." The Ridge extends along the South side of Lake Ontario, from the river of Niagara. to that of Genesee, a distance of nearly 90 miles. The top of the ridge, on which the road runs, is in some places considerably raised above the subjacent country; but for about forty miles from Lewiston, the elevation is so trifling as to be scarcely perceptible for the greater part of the distance. In this country, (England,) such a road would be considered as quite impassable by any sort of carriage larger than a wheel-barrow; and yet the stages, which leave Lewiston at six o'clock in the morning, arrive at Rochester by seven in the evening,-thus performing a distance of 96 miles in 13 hours.

The American stages are constructed on a principle very different from those of Great Britain. They are licensed to carry nine inside and two out

side passengers; both of the latter sit on the box with the driver. The roof is supported by eight wooden pillars; the sides and ends being entirely open for the free admission of air. When the dust is disagreeable, curtains may be let down from the roof. A vehicle of this kind weighs about 24 cwt.; and is hung at least two feet higher than a British coach. The horses which are used, are generally as good as those employed in the same service in this country, and the wheel-horses are commonly as far from the body of the carriage as our leaders. The usual fare is four dollars and a half, for one hundred miles.

I remained for three days in Oak Orchard without being able to procure a place in the coach, and on the fourth day, I hired a waggon and proceeded to Rochester. With regard to cultivation, the country all the way from Lewiston to Rochester is yet in its infancy, having only been ten years in a state of settlement. The houses on the road are built exactly in the same style as those of Upper Canada, and the fields are fenced in a similar manner. But the land is light and sandy, and greatly inferior to the worse parts of Upper Canada; notwithstanding which, even in its wild state, it is sold at eight dollars per acre, while an equal quantity of the best soils in Upper Canada may be purchased for one eighth of that sum: Such are the effects of spirited exertions for the internal improvement of a country!

When I left Upper Canada, the people were all

in excellent health; I was therefore greatly surprised to find, that sickness prevailed in almost every house between Rochester and Lewiston: But it appears, from Miss Wright's patriotic "Views of Society and Manners in the United States," that this is frequently the case; for she informs us, that "it is curious to see how patient men are of physical sufferings when endured voluntarily, and when they have it not in their power to charge them upon their rulers. On the Southern shores of Lake Ontario, heaven knows, we found sufficient sickness to have broken down the stoutest spirits; and yet there we never heard a complaint. On its Northern shores, we found discontent every where; perhaps it was often unjust; but it is in human nature to charge our calamities upon others, whenever a pretext is afforded us. The only sure way to keep the peace, therefore, is to remove all pretext. This being done in the United States, a man shivers in the ague, swallows his remedies, recovers or dies, without having quarrelled with any one, save perhaps with his apothecary."

It is rather singular and worthy of particular remark, that in the course of a rapid tour through the Canadas, this lady could discover so much dissatisfaction and discontent among the inhabitants, while I who have been for so long a time a resident among them could never perceive the least semblance of either. I really should not like to evince any ungallant disposition, but there certainly have