Nemburgh to Albany, v295 



factions found in it are always of marine origin, and consist 

 chiefly of madreporiles, terebratulites, encrinites, anthocepha- 

 iites, gryphites, belemnites, and trilobites ; of some of these 

 there are two or three species, more especially of the last, 

 which not unfrequently occur of a very large size.* 



Yours, most sincerely, T. W. 



jSfewbiirgh, Mai/, 1823. 



Letter 6. Neijoburgh to Albany. 



My dear B. — I am about to take my departure from this 

 place, and have already engaged my passage for Albany in 

 the sloop Charles. Crawford's, as was represented to me, 

 contains every thing desirable to a stranger ; besides excel- 

 lent tables and accommodations, there are always found some 

 respectiible company, groups of well-informed loungers, whose 

 politeness and interesting communications render the time of 

 the sojourner agreeably and profitably spent. Last evening 

 I stepped to the Piazza. This is constantly a retreat for 

 select parties ; independently of possessing a most delightful 

 prospect, from its elevation and contiguity to the river, a fine 

 breeze is always present, one of the most exhilarating and 

 desirable things, in a hot climate more especially. The place 

 was nearly crowded with ladies and gentlemen ; ladies, hand- 

 some of course, dressed very fashionably, and attended by 

 their gallants, were promenading in one part; another and 

 the remaining part was occupied solely by the other sex, 

 many of whom surrounded small tables, which apparently 

 were well stocked from the stores of Bacchus, whiffing cigars, 

 and spitting in all v directions. This spitting practice of 

 the Americans is extremely annoying, and I am much sur- 

 prised at its being so prevalent among the better societies ; 

 how they tolerate and indulge so frequently in what is so 

 much at variance with their general character and deportment 

 in other things, I am at a loss to conceive. 



Three hours* pleasant sail brought us opposite the landings 

 of Poughkeepsie. Poughkeepsie contains 3000 inhabitants, and 

 is in a flourishing condition. It stands pleasantly at a short 

 distance from the eastern shore; and on a fine stream of 

 water, which falls rapidly from the hills, in its course from the 



* Since the above was written, a canal, uniting the waters of the -Hudson 

 with those of the Delaware in the state of Pennsylvania, has, by immense 

 labour and expense, been completed, and opens a few miles north of New- 

 burgh. This, from the extent and nature of the ground, is a herculean 

 work ; but the achievement of great and mighty undertakings is character- 

 istic of the American people. 



u 4 



