TOUR IN THE UNITED STATES. 171 



space of ground. We put up at a comfortable country-inn — 

 Peconic-house — kept by a very civil landlord, who, with his 

 sons, waited on us at table. The house was pretty full — some 

 forty or fifty at table — persons who have come down to get away 

 from heat, or to bathe, or to fish, or to idle away time. Every 

 day brought new faces, and took away old. I have not yet 

 fallen in with the disagreeables of such places. Nothing could 

 be more civil than the attendants ; and the chambermaid, who 

 evidently wondered much at my proceedings, nevertheless 

 brought me water and dishes as I wanted them, and cheerfully 

 too. The charges very moderate ; six shillings (a dollar and a 

 half) covered all the day's expenses, and nothing extra to 

 servants, or expected by them. After three days of making 

 messes, with water and seaweeds, I tendered the chambermaid 

 half a dollar, which evidently highly impressed her with my 

 liberality. We had a good day's dredging, and returned on 

 Friday to New York. I was struck in the railway and at 

 Greenport with the great majority of well-featured persons, as 

 compared with our countrymen. There is a strong peculiarity 

 in the American face ; but the number of persons with regular 

 features, both men and women, I think much greater than in 

 England and Ireland. Handsome women at the table-d'botes 

 in a large proportion. So far as I have seen, in America the 

 outward animal is in a very well-developed state. 



We drove one afternoon to see the Croton Aqueduct, about 

 twelve miles distant. The stream of water is carried on arches 

 ninety feet high, across the Haarlem Eiver. There are fifteen 

 arches ; the water-tubes about three feet diameter. The drive, 

 after passing the city, is beautiful, leading near the banks of the 

 Hudson, of which there are constant peeps ; wooded banks 

 and scattered houses, wee ping- willows and Lombardy-poplars 

 plentifully introduced. There is, however, much neglect visible 

 about the places along the road ; ill-kept gardens and grounds ; 

 but then, to balance this, you have long shady avenues of trees. 

 The streets appear to be laid out regularly (without houses) up 

 to at least 130 Street, all with curbstones, and ready awaiting 

 the settlers. We came home by the upper reservoir, which has 

 a surface of over forty acres of water. The water is very pure 

 and clear, and great pains are taken to keep it so ; cautions 

 warning you not to spit into it being stuck up very conspicuously. 



