498 Letters from Baltimors and the Illinois Country. [July 1» 



we had six of the former, to each of 

 whom I gave two shillings, and five 

 to each of the two guards. Yours, 

 Robert Chapman. 



For the Monthlu Magazine. 

 liETTERS from BALTIMOUB and the 

 ILLINOIS COUNTRY, by an EMI- 

 GRANT/rom LONDON. 



Liverpool, April 29111, 1820. 



DEAR Friend, — We arrived here 

 on Friday evenina; at eiglit 

 o'clock all well. I was charged only 

 f 3. 10s. for extra luggage beyond what 

 is allowed to each passenger. But I 

 would advise you if ever you come tliis 

 May to visit the New World, to send all 

 by water, excepting twenty pounds 

 weight for each passenger ; and be sure 

 you bring a certificate, signed by the 

 minister, churchwardens, overseers,and 

 likewise the sitting magistrate of the 

 place vou have left, as it will save a 

 great deal of trouble and expense in 

 passing the custom-house. The lug- 

 gage is not examined at Liverpool cus- 

 tom-house, but you will be liable to 

 answer several interrogatories. If you 

 come this way, find out Money and Co. 

 Brokers, King's-doc.k — they will put 

 you in the way ; their fee is 2s. 6d. and 

 nomore, and they will find you any ship 

 you may choose. Their commission is 

 five per cent, on the money you pay the 

 captain, and besides this j'ou pay no- 

 thing but the half-crown for the entiy of 

 the goods, &c. Tlie passage is seven 

 pounds for each person above fourteen 

 years of age, and three pounds ten for 

 all under, which in a large family makes 

 a great difference in price. Provisions 

 are much cheaper here than in London, 

 so that upon the whole, 1 think it is 

 better to take ship liere than to go di- 

 rectly from London. A great number 

 of ships bound for the New AVorld are 

 always to be found here ; Liverpool far 

 exceeds my expectation both for size 

 and trade. The sea business seems to 

 be done in abetter way than in Loudon. 

 We sail this day in the Franklin, bound 

 for Baltimore, which is the nearest 

 port to Pittsburg; for 1 find we must 

 go that way, there being no other road 

 over the Allegany mountains. The 

 sum 1 have paid the captain for my 

 whole family of eight persons, is f 42. 

 The Franklin is a fine ship of 370 tons 

 burthen. If you come this way, do not 

 run the risk of getting dollars here, I 

 cannot get any this day, and I think 

 I shall be obliged to take Mhat gold 

 coin I can get for the reriainder of my 

 paper trash. Dollars \\ hen I came here 

 were one farthing per ounce dearer 

 than in London. It cost me about 22s. 

 on the road for coachmen and guaids ; 



Baltimore, July 1,1820. 



Dear Friend, — We arrived in this 

 city on the 15th of June, after a passage 

 of forty-six days. We had hut one 

 week of fair wind ; all (he rest of the 

 time it was contrary : it appears that 

 fair winds are not expected when going 

 from England to America, but on the 

 other hand, fair winds from America 

 to England generally prevail ; because 

 westernly winds are most frequent in 

 the Atlantic during nine months in the 

 year. When we hear of ships arriving 

 at Livei^ol from America in three 

 weeks, we naturally suppose they can 

 return in (he same time; but it is very 

 different. Six weeks is thought a good 

 passage to America, and three sufficient 

 for a voyage from America to LiverpooL 



The Franklin is a very fast sailer. A 

 vessel arrived yesterday called the Wil- 

 liam and Henr}", she left England oii 

 the same day with us, and brought 

 sixty-five passengers; we liad only six- 

 teen in the steerage, and four in the 

 cabin ; we were very happy and com- 

 fortable. The only thing we erred in, 

 was having too great a quantify of pro- 

 visions; we had two hundred weight 

 of biscuits, but we did not eat half of 

 them, nor have we consumed Ihera all 

 yet ; the broken pieces I made into a 

 mess for the horses yesterday ; 1 hought 

 the biscuits of Sorst and Sou, Crooked- 

 lane, Liverpool ; the whole of our sea 

 store did not cost me twenty pounds, 

 and out of that, we landed at Balti- 

 more one hundred weight of biscnits, 

 fifteen pounds of cheese, one pound of 

 tea, and a whole ham. If ever you 

 come over bring f)lenty of fruit, as 

 aj)ples, oranges, raisins, and add some 

 eggs ; but not too much salted provi- 

 sion. Flour, oatmeal and butter are 

 very useful, but our milk though mixed 

 \vith sugar, d id not keep above three 

 weeks before it fumed sour. Bring also 

 plenty of rice; good re<I, or pickled 

 herrings are a nice relish at sea, and 

 are to be bought vei-y cheap at Li- 

 verpool. The whoje of our expcnces 

 from Loudon to this place, did not ex- 

 ceed eighty-four pounds, including the 

 three pounds ten which 1 was charged 

 here for extra luggage, wliich is about 

 sixteen pounds less than I calculated 

 upon. 



I had 



