WARWICK WOODLANDS. 91 



than forty-five degrees into a deep ravine, through which, thun- 

 dered and roared a flashing torrent. This fearful descent over- 

 past, and that in perfect safety, we rolled merrily away down 

 hill, till we reached Colonel Beam's tavern, a neat, low-browed, 

 Dutch, stone farm-house, situate in an angle scooped out of a 

 green hill-side, with half a dozen tall and shadowy elms before 

 it a bright crystal stream purling along into the horse-trough 

 through a miniature aqueduct of hollowed logs, and a clear cold 

 spring in front of it, with half a score of fat and lazy trout float- 

 ing in its transparent waters. 



A hearty welcome, and a no less hearty meal having been 

 here encountered and despatched, we rattled off again, through 

 laden orchards and rich meadows ; passed the confluence of the 

 three bright rivers which issue from their three mountain gorges, 

 to form, by their junction, the fairest of New Jersey's rivers, the 

 broad Passaic ; reached the small village noted for rum-drink- 

 ing and quarter racing high Pompton thence by the Preak- 

 ness mountain, and Mose Canouze's tavern whereat, in honor 

 of Tom's friend, a worthy of the self-same kidney with himself, 

 we paused awhile to Paterson, the filthiest town, situate on 

 one of the loveliest rivers in the world, and famous only for the 

 possession, in the person of its Catholic priest, of the finest 

 scholar and best fellow in America, whom we unluckily found 

 not at home, and therefore tasted not, according to friend Har- 

 ry's promise, the splendid Innishowen which graces at all times 

 his hospitable board. 



Eight o'clock brought us to Hoboken, where, by good luck, 

 the ferry boat lay ready and nine o'clock had not struck when 

 we three sat down once again about a neat small supper-table, 

 before a bright coal fire, in Archer's snuggery Tom glorying 

 in the prospect of the races on the morrow, and I regretting 

 that I had brought to its conclusion 



MY FIRST WEEK IN THE WOODLANDS. 



