After leaving the Alleghany mountains, of whose vegetation the same remark might be made as of Laurel hill, we reached a lovely valley, where we found by the side of a creek, a large stone mill, and a group of good houses, Blair’s Gap post-office. We here again changed horses. This creek is called Beaverdam creek, and empties into the Juniata, between Hollydaysburg and Frankstown. The region near this stream is said to produce good iron, and, as was before remarked, much use is made at Harper’s Ferry of Juniata iron. At Frankstown we reached the Juniata, and passed the rest of the day on its shores. The road often ran close to the river. Here, as well as on the passage over the mountains, railings were altogether wanting on the turnpike, and the road often passes by the edge of deep precipices. When large wagons meet, a false step of a horse at these dangerous places would have led to our unavoidable destruction. The road is often cut out of the rock; we remarked at several places in the mountains, declivities, which seem to be strewed with pieces of rocks of different sizes in a very remarkable manner.
Beyond Frankstown we came to a valley, which is formed on the right side by Lock mountain, and on the left by Brush mountain. Parallel with the latter, for a short distance runs a ridge, which commences in this valley, and is called Canoe mountains. It commences with a single hill, Canoe hill, which forms a right-angle, and in a manner closes the valley. Between this hill and Lock mountains, the Juniata forces its passage; the road leads over Canoe hill to a handsome valley, called Canoe valley, in the centre of which stands an inn with a farm, named Yellow Spring. This name is derived from a spring, arising in a rocky basin behind the farm, not far from which it empties into the Juniata. The spring is said to be chalybeate, and to give the stones over which it flows a yellow colour; however, neither taste nor sight could distinguish the chalybeate qualities. Some miles from Alexandria we passed a defile in the Tussey mountains, where the Juniata again forces its way. About nine o’clock, P. M., we arrived at Alexandria, where we passed the night. Here I heard in the evening, for the first time the croaking of the large frog, known under the name of bullfrog. It resembles the bleating of a calf, or rather the roaring of a young steer. Alexandria is a small place, and contains about three hundred inhabitants.
We intended to leave Alexandria at three o’clock, A. M., but the driver overslept himself, and we were obliged to wait till four o’clock. We rode sixty miles to Thomsonstown. The country was again tolerably hilly; we remained for the most part on the left side of the Juniata. A few miles below Alexandria we passed indeed by a ford to the right side, but after passing a mountain, belonging to Warrior’s ride, we returned seven miles below at Huntingdon, to the left side again, under a roofed bridge. We passed through Huntingdon; Lamberts, where we changed horses; and Waynesburg, Lewistown, Mifflin and Mexico. These places in general were unimportant, but well-built, with many substantial houses. Between Huntingdon and Waynesburg, the road led through Jack’s mountains, at the place where the Juniata forces its passage. The road is here generally cut through the rock, and runs without railings along a deep precipice by the river. After this, comes Juniata valley, which is formed on the left by the low Limestone-ridge, behind which, the high Jack’s mountains rise, and on the right by Blue-ridge, which rises immediately out of the Juniata. This valley reminded me of the regions on the river Lahn in Nassau, except that the mountains of the Lahn are not so high as these, and not so handsomely covered with trees to their summit. Waynesburg, where we again changed horses, occupies a very romantic situation on the Juniata. Lewistown on the Juniata, is well-built and finely situated. The road hence to Thomsonstown, led through a hilly country along the river and continued bad. On the other side of the river, the high Tuscarora mountains rise. The river is navigable from this place to Waynesburg; we saw keel-boats in it. We did not reach Thomsonstown till ten o’clock at night; we had seen but little of the surrounding country, though I heard it was very handsome.
May 26th, we arose at two o’clock, A. M., and rode to Lancaster, distant seventy-one miles, through Millerstown, Coxtown, Harrisburg, High Spire, Middletown, Rockstown, Franklin, Elizabethtown and Mountjoy. At first the road went through a hilly country along the left side of the Juniata; then we crossed in a boat at Beelen’s Ferry. The water was low, so that the rocky bottom of the river could be seen. A canal, which is already marked out, is intended to obviate the difficulties of the navigation, arising from the low state of the water. The road which we now passed, and which was not a turnpike, led us over three hills, Limestone-ridge, Mahony-ridge and Dick’s hill to Clark’s Ferry, on the Susquehanna, a little below the place where the Juniata empties into the Susquehanna, which is here about a mile wide, and rushes between two high ridges over a very rocky bed, in which at several places dams have been raised with passages in order to facilitate the navigation. On the left side a canal had already been laid out. At Clark’s Ferry, we had an extremely handsome view of the Susquehanna, which is here surrounded by such high mountains, that it resembles a lake, and calls to mind Lake George, in New York. On the left its junction with the Juniata takes place, and on the right it forces itself through a gap in a high ridge, which on the right side is called Mount Peter, and on the left, Cave mountain. Through this opening another valley is seen bounded by the Blue mountains. The broad Susquehanna is seen in front, and the high Mount Peter on the other shore.
At Clark’s Ferry we crossed the Susquehanna in a ferry-boat. The water was so clear, that the rocky bottom could be distinctly seen. Cove mountain forms an arch on the right shore, and touches the Susquehanna with its two extremities, not far from Clark’s Ferry, and again eight miles below; at this place a rocky mountain nine hundred feet high on the left shore corresponds with it, and forms a part of a ridge called Second mountain. In a space of eight miles, four ridges of mountains run parallel to each other, first Mount Peter, then Third mountain, afterwards Second mountain, and last the Blue mountains. This country is said to abound in good stone-coal. The road which we travelled is a turnpike, and runs between the Susquehanna and this mountain, out of which it is partly cut. The Blue mountains, through which the Susquehanna forces its way at right angles, forms the last chain of mountains on our route. I had first seen this chain of mountains at Nazareth, then at Harper’s Ferry, as I went to the west, and last of all, as I travelled in an eastern direction from Staunton to Charlotteville.
Behind the Blue mountains we saw grain and Indian corn flourish in a cultivated region, and reached Harrisburg. We delayed here about two hours, and met with a stage which had come from Pittsburgh by the southern road. Harrisburg is two hundred and nine miles from Pittsburgh, and a hundred from Philadelphia, occupies a somewhat elevated position between the left side of the Susquehanna and Paxton creek, and may contain about four thousand inhabitants. It is the metropolis and seat of government of the state of Pennsylvania, and contains a capitol, with the other necessary buildings. These stand on an elevation, commanding the city; the capitol is in the middle, and on both sides of it are two buildings containing public offices. All three are of brick, and their entrances decorated with colonnades of white stone. These columns stand in a semicircle. The capitol consists of two stories, with a cupola sustained by columns. The assembly rooms of the senate and of the representatives are in the lower story; the seats are arranged in a semicircle, and rise in height as in an amphitheatre. The upper story contains lodgings for the governor, which are indeed splendid, however, the present governor, Mr. Shulze, does not use them, and inhabits a private house in the city. I regretted that my time did not allow me to form a personal acquaintance with this public officer, of whom such different opinions have been entertained. The capitol and offices are covered with slate, whilst the houses of the city are generally roofed with shingles. The city is regularly built, with paved streets, and contains many brick houses, a court-house, and a jail. A covered wooden bridge leads over the Susquehanna, which is divided by an island in the river into two parts. The piers of this bridge consist of stone, not united by mortar, but by iron clamps.
At two o’clock in the afternoon we left Harrisburg, and rode thirty-six miles farther to Lancaster, in hot weather and much dust. The road was better, the stage more convenient, the changes shorter, and the passage quicker. We continued on the left side of the Susquehanna for nine miles; at Middletown we forded the Swatara creek, although a handsome wooden roofed bridge leads over it, and then left the shores of the Susquehanna. After passing Conewago creek, we entered Lancaster county, celebrated for its good cultivation, and almost entirely inhabited by descendants of Germans. The fields all appear to be extremely well cultivated; worm-fences were superseded by posts and rails. I was particularly struck with the barns, which often look better than the dwelling-houses; the houses are generally of wood, and not handsome, whereas the barns are generally built of stone, at least the lower parts containing the stabling, and the two gable-ends. Between these, the barn is built of wood; a broad ascent leads to the entrance on one side, and on the other, the barn forms a broad shed over the entrances of the stables. The cattle and horses appear to great advantage, and the breeding of sheep seems to receive attention. The houses are surrounded by orchards, and in the greater part of these I observed cider presses. The smiths here burn their charcoal close to the shops; I saw near several of these charcoal kilns on fire, in the villages. We passed by means of wooden bridges two small creeks, Little Chickie and Big Chickie creeks.
The bridges over the Swatara rest on dry stone piers. Instead of worm fences and other hedging, I saw to-day, also, some dry walls, such as I had seen last summer in Massachusetts. We came to Lancaster at ten o’clock at night, and found lodgings in a very good tavern. During our ride in the dark, we saw a large number of fireflies, which abounded particularly near wet meadows. We had for several days past also seen very handsomely coloured butterflies of different kinds.
I passed the 27th of May in Lancaster, for three reasons: first, I felt the effects of my long journey, of the heat, and of want of rest; secondly, I did not wish to pass Sunday in Philadelphia, where it is very particularly tiresome; and thirdly, I wished to post up my journal, which had been necessarily neglected during the preceding days. I took advantage of the cool morning to view the place.
Lancaster is the chief city of Lancaster county, and contains about six thousand inhabitants. It is built on a hill; the streets cross each other at right angles, and are generally paved and supplied with side-walks, shaded by Italian poplars. The houses are principally of brick, though some are also quite massive; here and there a frame building may be seen. A square place stands in the middle of the city, in whose centre the court-house is erected. The market-houses are not far from this. The museum contains merely poor wax figures, some Indian curiosities, stuffed animals, shells, some fishes, and minerals. A tame gazelle, which had been taught several tricks, was also exhibited; it could cypher, distinguish different cards, knew names, &c. Some of the inhabitants visited me, among whom was a Mr. Voigt, of Leipsig, who conducted us about the place. Lancaster is said to produce the best rifles in the United States. I bought one for eleven dollars to take home with me, as a curiosity. Mr. Voigt took us to a public garden near the city, which was tastefully arranged, and where the inhabitants of the place enjoyed themselves in playing ten-pins, and in other innocent amusements. We went afterwards on the Baltimore road, over a roofed wooden bridge, which leads over Conestoga creek. This bridge resembles those in Ohio, though much lighter; it cannot last long. The arches in Ohio are formed of eight or ten planks placed over each other, and united by screws, so that the bridge seems to rest on springs, resembling those of carriages; whereas, here the arch consisted of a single crooked fir tree. In the evening I received a number of visits, among which I may mention one from a member of congress, Mr. Buchanan, whose speeches in congress are received with much applause, and a Mennonist, Mr. Witmer, who showed me a contrivance, invented by himself, to cool wine.