The Blue Mountains, which reared their towering tops above all the other mountains, were now seen before us, towards North, but at a great distance.
The country began here to look more cultivated, and less mountainous. [[234]]
The last of the high western mountains is called Butterhill, after which the country between the mountains grows more spacious. The farms became very numerous, and we had a prospect of many corn-fields, between the hills: before we passed these hills we had the wind in our face, and we could only get forward by tacking, which went very slow, as the river was hardly a musket-shot in breadth. Afterwards we cast anchor, because we had both wind and tide against us.
Whilst we waited for the return of tide and the change of wind, we went on shore.
The Sassafras-tree (Laurus Sassafras) and the chesnut-tree grows here in great abundance. I found the tulip-tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in some parts of the wood, as likewise the Kalmia latifolia, which was now in full blossom; though the flowers were already withering.
Some time after noon the wind arose from South-west, which being a fair wind, we weighed anchor, and continued our voyage. The place where we lay at anchor, was just the end of those steep and amazing high mountains: their height is very amazing; they consist of grey rock stone, and close to them, on the shore, lay a vast [[235]]number of little stones. As soon as we had passed these mountains, the country became clearer of mountains, and higher. The river likewise encreased in breadth, so as to be near an English mile broad. After sailing for some time, we found no more mountains along the river; but on the eastern side goes a high chain of mountains to the north-east, whose sides are covered with woods, up to one half of their height. The summits however are quite barren; for I suppose that nothing would grow there, on account of the great degree of heat[65], dryness, and the violence of the wind, to which that part is exposed. The eastern side of the river is much more cultivated than the western, where we seldom saw a house, the land being covered with woods, though it is in general very level. About fifty-six English miles from New York the country is not very high; yet it is every where covered with woods, except some new farms which were scattered here and there. The high mountains [[236]]which we left in the afternoon, now appeared above the woods and the country. These mountains, which were called the Highlands, did not project more North than the other, in the place where we anchored. Their sides (not those towards the river) were seldom perpendicular, but sloping, so that one could climb up to the top, though not without difficulty.
On several high grounds near the river, the people burnt lime. The master of the yacht told me, that they break a fine blueish grey limestone in the high grounds, along both sides of the river, for the space of some English miles, and burn lime of it. But at some miles distance there is no more limestone, and they find also none on the banks till they come to Albany.
We passed by a little neck of land, which projected on the western side in the river, and was called Dance. The name of this place is said to derive its origin from a festival which the Dutch celebrated here in former times, and at which they danced and diverted themselves; but once there came a number of Indians, who killed them all.
We cast anchor late at night, because the wind ceased and the tide was ebbing. The depth of the river is twelve fathoms here. [[237]]
The fire-flies passed the river in numbers, at night, and sometimes settled upon the rigging.