606 DOWN THE HUDSON. 



It had begun to snow in the morning when I left 

 Springfield, and, with slight intermissions, the flakes fell 

 thick enough during the whole day to interrupt the 

 view, and to confine it very much to the immediate 

 neighbourhood through which we passed. From the 

 State line where we left Massachusetts and entered &quot;New 

 York, the surface was undulating, but, in general, 

 appeared well suited for agricultural operations. Clay 

 soils prevailed, formed from the crumbling slates, and 

 demanding the hand of the improving drainer to bring 

 oat their natural capabilities. The numerous orchards 

 we passed, however, showed that dry spots were not 

 wanting, and opener soils on which trees could flourish. 



Newhaven, March 30. The river Hudson was open 

 yesterday morning, but the weather was cold, and as 

 few travel for pleasure at this season, the only boats 

 which descended to New York from Albany were night- 

 boats. The morning boats came down only as far as 

 Poughkeepsie to join the railway, which is completed 

 from that town to New York. After spending a day at 

 Albany, therefore, I was obliged to descend the river, 

 partly by water and partly by rail, as my only chance of 

 seeing anything of its beauties. The whole distance, 

 from Albany to New York, is 145 miles. For the first 

 thirty miles the river runs for the most part between high 

 banks of clay and other drift, with only rare rocky or 

 striking points, or open peeps into the country. It rather 

 reminds one, though on a larger scale, of sailing upon 

 one of those Dutch or Belgian canals, along which, in 

 former days, travellers moved in the treckschuits, hemmed 

 in on either hand by elevated dykes, under, pretence of 

 seeing foreign countries. The approach to, and the 

 retreat from, the Catskill Mountains, which begin to arrest 

 the attention at this distance down the river, is very fine, 

 and recals the ridge of the Taunus, seen as one descends 

 the upper portion of the Rhine. Poughkeepsie is seventy 



