When two miles from the ferry I observed a long line of sleds, horses, men, &c. crossing on the ice; which scene, at that distance had a curious and picturesque appearance, as the ice was glassy, and in consequence they appeared to be moving on the surface of the water, in which their shadows inverted and reflected as in a mirror, struck the eye with very grotesque imagery.
Some labourers who were at work in a barn at the ferry-house, and of whom I was asking some questions relative to the country, were much astonished at my double barrelled gun, admiring its work and lightness, and calling it a curious creature.
When within a mile and a half of Harrisburgh,[10] the white cupola of its court-house, and the roofs of the houses of the town are seen peeping over the trees, and have a good effect.
At one o’clock I entered that town, turning to the left over Paxton creek bridge. I stopt at the ferry-house, which is also a tavern, but appearance of accommodation not being very promising, I continued my walk along the bank of the river, and stopt at another tavern, where I asked if I could have a bed that night. A dirty looking girl at the stove drawled but that she believed I might. I then asked for some mulled wine. She said eggs were scarce, and she could not get any. From these symptoms of {23} carelessness, I thought it best to try my fortune a little further; so putting on my shot belt and taking my gun, I quietly walked out in search of a place of more civil reception, and fortunately I entered Bennet’s, the sign of the white horse, fronting the river, at the corner of the principal cross street, which leads to the market place. I say fortunately, for I found it an excellent, plentiful and well frequented house, and Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, two fine girls, his daughters by a former wife, and a Mr. Fisher an assistant, and apparently some relation, all attentive and studious to please.
After getting some refreshment I wrote some letters, and carried them to the post-office. The office being shut, the postmaster very civilly invited me into his parlour, to settle for the postage, where seeing a large map of Pennsylvania, I took the opportunity of tracing my journey, which the postmaster observing, he very politely assisted me in it, pointing out the most proper route. There were some ladies in the room, apparently on a visit, and there was an air of socialty and refinement throughout, which was very pleasing.
Leaving the post-office I walked through the town. It contains about two hundred and fifty houses, most of them very good, some of brick, some of stone, and some of wood. The principal street runs nearly east and west, and has two small market-houses in the centre, where the street is widened purposely into a small square. Parallel to this main street is a street charmingly situated on the bank of the Susquehannah, open to the river on the side next it, and tolerably well built on the other, having a wide foot way, in some parts paved, and marked in its whole length by a row of Lombardy poplars regularly planted, which serves also to shade the houses from the scorching rays of the summers sun. This street, though at present wide enough, has not been laid {24} out sufficiently so to provide against the gradual encroachment of the river, on its steep gravelly bank of about twenty feet high above the common level of the water. The view from every part of this street is very beautiful, both up and down the river, about five miles each way—terminated upwards by the long ridge of the Blue mountains, through a gap in which of about three miles long, which is also open to the view, the river rolls its rapid current, contracted there to less than half a mile wide. While downwards the eye rests on the South mountain, impending over general Simpson’s house, which in its turn seems to overhang the river, from the high promontory on which it is situated. Several islands add to the beauty of the view, particularly one, on which is a fine farm of nearly one hundred acres just opposite the town.
The court-house is near the market square on the principal cross street, and is a handsome plain brick building of two lofty stories, with a cupola rising from the centre of the roof, remarkable for its vane of copper gilt, representing an Indian chief, as large as the life, with a bow in his left hand, and a tomahawk in the act of cutting, in the right. The house is about seventy feet by fifty, with two small receding wings. The hall for the court is very neat, spacious and convenient; doors opening from it into the record and prothonotary’s offices in the wings. A fine easy double staircase leads to the great room over the hall for the courts. This room is now used as a temporary place of worship by the English Presbyterians, until their own meeting-house is finished, which is of brick and in great forwardness. From each corner of this room a door opens into the register office, the library and two jury rooms.
There is as yet no other place of publick worship in Harrisburgh, except an old wooden house used as such, by a congregation of German Lutherans.
{28, i.e., 25} This town which is now the capital of Dauphin county was laid out twenty-three years ago by the late proprietor, Mr. Harris, whose father is buried near the bank of the river, opposite the stone house he lived in, under a large old tree, which, once during his life, concealed and saved him from some Indians, by whom he was pursued.
I observed in the office of a Mr. Downie, a magistrate, a newly invented patent stove, made of sheet iron, consisting of two horizontal parallel cylinders, about a foot apart, one over the other and communicating by a pipe; the upper one is heated by the smoke from the lower, which contains the fuel. Mr. Downie informed me that it saved much fuel. The patentee lives here.