364 TRAVELS IN THE CONFEDERATION 



lers, from the endless number of cross-bars and gates 

 encountered, every landowner not only fencing in his 

 fields, meadows, and woods, but closing the public high- 

 ways with bars, to keep in the cattle pasturing on the 

 road. Thus it was that in the short space of a mile we 

 often had to open 3-4 such gates, and with a horse un- 

 accustomed to the practice this must always mean a 

 delay. 



We passed through Queen- Anne, on the Patuxent 

 (a narrow stream) where there is a tobacco-warehouse 

 and two or three insignificant houses, and 9 miles be- 

 yond came to New London on the South river, which 

 is more than a mile wide ; the remainder of the road to 

 Annapolis was quite flat, sandy, and without stones. 



Annapolis has not always had the honor of being 

 the capital of Maryland ; the capital was formerly St. 

 Mary, on the river of that name, and scarcely more 

 than in name does the town exist ; the site was found 

 inconvenient and the seat of government was removed 

 hither. Annapolis stands between the South-west and 

 Severn rivers, more properly on the latter river, on a 

 sandy height whence there is an open prospect towards 

 the Bay. The number of the houses is about 400, of 

 which some are fine and well-looking. The State- 

 house indeed is not the splendid building of which the 

 fame has been sounded, although certainly one of the 

 handsomest in America ; but no less insubstantial than 

 most of the other publick and private buildings of 

 America. That it pleases the eye is due to its elevated 

 situation, its small cupola, its four wooden columns 

 before the entrance, and because no other considerable 

 building stands near it. It has only seven windows in 

 front, and is built of brick two storeys high. The 



