1823.} | 
by the clear waters of the Patomac, 
and the gentle hills which crown the 
opposing banks of the river, clothed 
with Juxuriant cedar woods, and 
sprinkled with the villas of the wealthy 
land-holders of the vicinage; among 
these the seat of Mr. Custiss is most 
distinguished. Continuing to turn to 
the right, the buildings and the river 
gradually disappear; the vacant but 
now undulating site of the city, inter- 
sected, however, with good roads, or 
avenues, presents itself; but, were it 
not that the distant view is by no 
means uninviting, the scene would be 
altogether devoid of interest. Fur- 
ther to the right a considerable number 
of seattered dwellings of a respectable 
order are seen on the Capitol Hill, in 
the immediate vicinity, and on a level 
with the spectator, whose back will 
now be turned towards Alexandria, 
while his eyes are pursuing the high 
road to Baltimore; presently his back 
will be towards Georgetown, and he 
will look towards the ‘* Navy Yard,” 
situated on the ‘“ Eastern Branch ;” 
hut, althongh there is a considerable 
number of buildings ia this direction, 
and notwithstanding the Navy Yard 
is itself a large establishment, the 
elevation of the intervening land and 
houses prevents. them from ma king 
much appearance. A road from the 
Capitol in this direction, is terminated 
bya very neat and commodions wooden 
bridge, across the Eastern Branch, 
which is about a furlong and a half 
in width, but this bridge is not visible 
from the Capitol Hill. Continuing to 
turn, there are still some respectable 
dwelling-honses to be seen in the im- 
mediate neighbourhood: the lower 
part of the Navy Yard now makes its 
appearance ; the Eastern Branch, and 
its luxuriant ‘opposing shores, come 
into view ; the Navy Yard disappears, 
the astern Branch gradually expands, 
the prospect insensibly widens, and 
the vacant site of the city is seen be- 
tween the straggling houses on the 
Capitol Hill; the fort on Greenteat’s 
Point again appears, and the magnifi- 
cent prospect down the main stream 
of the Patomac, beyond Alexandria, 
terminates the circuit at the Pot 
whence it began. 
A few miles below Alexandria the 
river inclines to the left; were it not 
for this deviation, a glass of moderate 
power would desery, at about fourteen 
miles distance, “ Mount Vernon,” the 
seat of the immortal Washington, a 
Washington, and the Capitol. 
295 
respectable but modest mansion, sur- 
rounded by an extensive. and valu- 
able domain: the ornamental grounds 
extend to the river, whose right bank 
rises at that point with peculiar ma- 
jesty above the surface of his translucid 
waters ; and at the verge of the lawn, 
in a vault of the ‘simplest structure, 
beneath the placid shelter of luxuriant 
cedars are emtombed the remains of 
him whose name is borne by a capital 
city, and who by the universal voice of 
his compatriots has been styled, ‘‘ The 
first in peace, the first in war, and the 
first in the hearts of his countrymen.” 
The city of Washington is 500 miles 
from Boston; 248 from New York; 
144 from Philadelphia; 42 from Bal- 
timore; 133 from Richmond, in Vir- 
ginia; 232 from Halifax, in’ North 
Carolina; 630 from Charleston, ia 
South Carolina; 794 from Savannah, 
in Georgia; anda road partly executed 
to New Orleans, is estimated to exceed 
1000 miles in length. 
The Capitol, or Congress-Hall, in 
the city of Washiagton, is at the sum- 
mit of the hill which bears its name, 
and affords the view of the cireninja- 
cent city already deseribed. It is a 
structure 348 feet in front; the mate- 
rial of the external walls is a yeliowisb, 
strong, and apparently durable, sand- 
stone, found at a moderate distance, 
but the substance of the interior walls 
is of brick. ‘The lower or basement- 
floor consists entirely of common offi- 
ees, and apartments, with the excep- 
tion of-a portion of the western wing 
beneath the Senate Chamber, which is 
appropriated to the Court-room of the 
Supreme Judicature of the United 
States. 
The principal floor of the Capitol is 
immediately above the basement. The 
Hall of Representatives is suited to the 
reception of the members, in number 
between 2 and 300. The columns 
supporting the roof are of a peculiar 
stune, called Patomac marble, a sort 
of pudding-stone, intenscly hard, and 
which, when polished, has the same 
appearance as the section of cold 
mock-turtle soup, except that the tints 
are less powerful; the effect is very 
handsome. ‘The capitals are of sta- 
tuary marble, and were carved in 
Italy, in imitation of those in the 
Choragic Monument of Lysicrates, at 
Athens; the entublature corresponds 
with the columns, and the ceiling is 
half domed. ‘The entablature above 
the colonnade or skreen, behind the 
Speaker’s 
