The confusion on landing baffled all description. Hundreds of pickpockets were on the look-out. We sojourned at the Astor House Hotel. Had a warm-bath, and retired to rest grateful that I was once more on Terra firma.
265 miles. Passage altogether 3022 miles in fourteen days.
Sunday, 1st September.—Rose at six. Took a car with my companion, Mr. K——, of Liverpool, and went down to the Great Western for our luggage. We met with great civility from the Custom-house officers. They would not allow luggage to pass after sunset the previous evening. After breakfast we heard service at Dr. Spring's Chapel, a Presbyterian: a beautiful chapel, and a respectable congregation, and all in their pews before the minister ascended the pulpit: the text was, "The Lord reigneth:" the singing was good: the service terminated at twelve. The weather awfully hot: the thermometer stood at 92° in the shade. Dined at half-past two: 300 sat down to a splendid dinner, everything that could tempt the appetite or please the epicure. Tea at seven; and supper at ten, if required.
I may here remark that Astor House is the largest hotel in the world. They make up five hundred beds regularly, but could make up eight hundred: about sixty waiters; five regular clerks; twenty-one washerwomen; five manglers (all of which is done by steam); twelve cooks. Take it for all in all,
"I ne'er shall see its like again."
Their system is as much carried out as Morrison's, Fore-street. You never have occasion to ring the bell twice: they have twenty rotunda men who do nothing else but answer bells and carry out parcels. My first impression of New York on the Sunday morning was that it resembled Paris.
Population, 350,000. Lat. 40° 42' N.; Long. 74° 2-1/2'.
I here subjoin the Bill of Fare. For eating and bed two dollars per day, including servants.
| GENTLEMEN'S ORDINARY. | ||||
| SOUP. | ||||
| Mock Turtle Soup. | ||||
| FISH. | ||||
| Baked Black Fish, Claret sauce, | Clam Chowder. | |||
| BOILED. | ||||
| Corned Beef, | Chickens and Pork, | |||
| Ham, | Smoked Corned Beef, | |||
| Tongue, | Leg of Mutton. | |||
| ————— | ||||
| Cold Pressed Corned Beef, | Cold Corned Leg of Pork, | |||
| Cold Roast Beef, | Cold Roast Lamb. | |||
| SIDE DISHES. | ||||
| Lobster Salad, | Small Birds, Port Wine sauce, | |||
| Mutton Chops, breaded, | Small Oyster Pies, | |||
| Rib of Beef, Champagne sauce, | Ducks, Spanish sauce, | |||
| Pigeons with fine Herbs, | Veal, Tomato sauce, | |||
| Broiled Chickens, Steward's | Macaroni, | |||
| sauce | Eels, Cold Sauce, | |||
| Calf's Head, Brain sauce, | Beans and Pork. | |||
| VEGETABLES. | ||||
| Boiled Potaotes, | Onions, | Boiled Rice, | ||
| Corn, | Turnips, | Beets, | ||
| Tomatoes, | Cabbage, | |||
| Fried Egg Plants, | Shelled Beans. | |||
| ROAST. | ||||
| Beef, | Chicken, | |||
| Pig, | Geese, | Lamb and Mint sauce. | ||
| PASTRY. | ||||
| Peach Pie, | Kisses, | Lemon Pudding, | ||
| Custard Pie, | Fruit Jelly. | |||
| DESSERT. | ||||
| Filberts, Almonds, Raisins, Oranges, Figs, Plums, | ||||
| Apples, Pears, Melons, Peaches, &c. | ||||
| ICE CREAM. | ||||
| D. | C. | ||||
| MOSELLE. | |||||
| Seister Water | Price per bottle, | 0 | 75 | ||
| Moselle, 1831 | 1 | 50 | |||
| SAUTERNE. | |||||
| Sauterne | 1 | 00 | |||
| Morton's Y. Chem | 2 | 00 | |||
| Pints | 1 | 00 | |||
| HOCK. | |||||
| Markgraefer, delicate | 1 | 00 | |||
| Rudeshoimer, 1834, pints | 1 | 50 | |||
| Marcobrunner | 2 | 00 | |||
| Steinberger Cabinet, 1831 | 2 | 50 | |||
| Sparkling Hock | 2 | 00 | |||
| Ausbruck Cabinet Rothenberg of 1831 | 3 | 00 | |||
| Ausbruck Cabinet Graffenburg, 1831 | 4 | 00 | |||
| Ausbruck Cabinet Rothenburg, 1822 | 4 | 00 | |||
| Cabinet Schloss Johannisberger, 1822 | 5 | 00 | |||
| Prince Metternich's Castle, bottled, yellow seal, 1831 | 5 | 00 | |||
| Metternich's Castle, bottled, red seal, 1822 | 5 | 00 | |||
| Prince Metternich's celebrated Castle, bottled, gold seal, Johannisberger vintage 1822 | 8 | 00 | |||
| CHAMPAGNE. | |||||
| Schreider | 2 | 00 | |||
| Napoleon | 2 | 00 | |||
| Cliquot | 2 | 00 | |||
| Heidsieck | 2 | 00 | |||
| Ruinart | 2 | 00 | |||
| Perriot | 2 | 00 | |||
| Star | 2 | 00 | |||
| Venoge, J.T.B. | 2 | 00 | |||
| Duc de Montabello, dry | 2 | 00 | |||
| Do. do. sweet | 2 | 00 | |||
| Do. do. Ladies' wine | 2 | 00 | |||
| Pints do. do. | 1 | 00 | |||
| CLARET. | |||||
| Table Claret | 0 | 50 | |||
| Do. do. | 0 | 75 | |||
| Pints of Barsolou | 1 | 00 | |||
| St. Estephe, V. Barsalou | 1 | 00 | |||
| St. Julien, do. | 1 | 25 | |||
| Leoville, do. | 1 | 50 | |||
| Pontet Canet, do. | 1 | 50 | |||
| Chateau Latour, do. | 1 | 75 | |||
| Battailly, Barton, and Guestier, 1834 | 1 | 50 | |||
| Chateau Beychevelle, do. 1834 | 2 | 00 | |||
| Mouton, do. 1834 | 2 | 50 | |||
| Latour, do. 1834 | 3 | 00 | |||
| Chateau Lafitte, do. 1834 | 3 | 00 | |||
| Chateau Margeaux, do. 1834 | 3 | 00 | |||
| St. Julien, in pint bottles, V.B. | 0 | 75 | |||
| Leoville do. do. | 0 | 75 | |||
| Pontet Canet, do. do. | 0 | 75 | |||
| Latour, do. do. | 1 | 00 | |||
| Lafitte | 1 | 00 | |||
| PORT. | |||||
| Particular | 2 | 00 | |||
| Tower | 2 | 50 | |||
| Brazil | 2 | 50 | |||
| BURGUNDY. | |||||
| Macon | 1 | 50 | |||
| Do. pints | 0 | 75 | |||
| Pouilly, White Burgundy | 1 | 50 | |||
| Do. do. pints | 0 | 75 | |||
| Pomard | 2 | 50 | |||
| Chambertin | 3 | 00 | |||
| Romanee | 3 | 00 | |||
| Vosne | 3 | 00 | |||
| SHERRY. | |||||
| Harmony, Amontillado, delicious | 3 | 00 | |||
| Sherry, Pale, N.O. | 1 | 00 | |||
| Sherry, S.S. | 1 | 00 | |||
| Yriarte, Pale, delicate | 2 | 00 | |||
| Yriarte, Gold G. | 2 | 00 | |||
| Crowley (Sayres) Gold | 2 | 50 | |||
| Do. do. Brown, extra | 2 | 50 | |||
| Do. do. Amontillado | 3 | 00 | |||
| Imperial, Pale | 4 | 00 | |||
| Brown, imported in glass | 4 | 00 | |||
| Romano, do. very old | 3 | 00 | |||
| Romano, Pale, very old | 3 | 00 | |||
| Lobo, Brown, FO, long bottled | 3 | 50 | |||
| Ne Plus Ultra | 4 | 00 | |||
| MADEIRA. | |||||
| Henry Clay, imported into Boston in 1826. | 3 | 00 | |||
| Madeira, F.B. | 1 | 00 | |||
| Madera Oliveiro | 1 | 50 | |||
| L.P. Madeira | 2 | 00 | |||
| Blackburne's | 2 | 00 | |||
| Blackburne's Reserve | 2 | 50 | |||
| Howard, March, and Co.'s Madeira, imported for the Astor House, F. | 2 | 00 | |||
| Newton, Gordon, and Murdock's (GM) | 2 | 00 | |||
| Oliveires Reserve, 17 years old | 2 | 50 | |||
| E.I. Leacock, old, dry | 2 | 50 | |||
| Leacock, M.L., imported, 1826, into New Orleans | 3 | 00 | |||
| Murdock, Yuille, and Woodrope, MY | 3 | 00 | |||
| Yellow Seal, original N.G.M. delicate | 3 | 00 | |||
| D.V. Sercial, very delicate | 3 | 00 | |||
| Brazil, V.I. very old, a favourite wine | 3 | 00 | |||
| Brown Seal, old Monteiras, 'superior' | 3 | 00 | |||
| Nabob | 3 | 50 | |||
| Red Seal, old, bottled, East India | 3 | 50 | |||
| Eclipse Madeira | 4 | 00 | |||
| Rapid, imported 1818 | 4 | 00 | |||
| Green Seal, Virginia Madeira, light and very delicate | 4 | 00 | |||
| White Top, very old and delicate | 4 | 00 | |||
| Thorndike, very old and 'superior' | 4 | 50 | |||
| Edward Tuckerman, Esq., Scott, Laughnan, Penfold,and Co.'s, imported 1820, P.M. | 5 | 00 | |||
| Gratz, yellow seal, 1806 | 5 | 00 | |||
| Do. green seal, 1806 | 5 | 00 | |||
| Do. black seal, 1806 | 5 | 00 | |||
| Do. red seal, bottled 1806 | 5 | 00 | |||
| Wanton, exceedingly delicate, thirty years in wood, W. | 5 | 00 | |||
| John A. Gordon's Madeira, imported into Philadelphia 1798 | 5 | 00 | |||
| Caroline, an old family-wine | 5 | 00 | |||
| Gordon, Buff, Inglis, and Co.'s, imported by H.G. Otis | |||||
| and Edward Tuckerman, Esq., 1811, G. | 5 | 00 | |||
| Stalk's Madeira, bottled in Calcutta, imported 1825 | 6 | 00 | |||
| Hurd's Madeira, bottled in 1822 in Calcutta | 5 | 00 | |||
| Essex, Jr., imported 1819 | 6 | 00 | |||
| Smith and Huggins, Dyker's White top, bottled in 1800 in St. Eustatia | 7 | 00 | |||
| Tuckerman's B., 1810 | 7 | 00 | |||
| Thorndike's A., 1809 | 8 | 00 | |||
| Wedding Wine | 8 | 00 | |||
| Gov. Philip's Wine | 9 | 00 | |||
| Gov. Kirby's original bottles, OO | 12 | 00 | |||