lii 
LIFE OF 
half past eight, the Pilot coming up, I took my passage in it to 
New Brunswick, which we reached about midnight. 
“ The next morning was spent in visiting the few gentlemen who 
were likely to patronize my undertaking. I had another task of the 
same kind at Elizabeth Town ; and, without tiring you with details 
that would fill a volume, I shall only say that I reached Newark 
that day, having gratified the curiosity and feasted the eyes of a 
great number of people, who repaid me with the most extravagant 
compliments, which I would have very willingly exchanged for a 
few simple subscriptions. I spent nearly the whole of Saturday in 
Newark, where my book attracted as many starers as a bear or a 
mammoth would have done, and I arrived in New York the same 
evening. The next day I wrote a number of letters, enclosing 
copies of the prospectus, to different gentlemen in town, and, in the 
afternoon of Tuesday, I took my book and waited on each of those 
gentlemen to whom I had written the preceding day. Among 
these I found some friends, but more admirers. The professors 
of Columbia college expressed much esteem for my performance. 
The professor of languages, being a Scotchman, and also a Wilson, 
seemed to feel all the pride of national partiality so common to his 
countrymen, and would have done me every favour in his power. 
I spent the whole of this week traversing the streets, from one 
particular house to another, till, I believe, I became almost as well 
known as the public crier or the clerk of the market ; for I 
frequently could perceive gentlemen point me out to others as I 
passed with my book under my arm. 
“ On Sunday morning, October 2d, I went on board a packet for 
Newhaven, distant about ninety miles. The wind was favourable. 
The Sound here, between Longisland and the Maine, is narrowed 
to less than half a mile, and filled with small islands, and enormous 
rocks under water, among which the tide roars and boils violently, 
and has proved fatal to many a seaman. At high water it is 
nearly as smooth as any other flow, and can then be safely passed. 
The country, on the New York side, is ornamented with handsome 
villas, painted white, and surrounded by great numbers of Lombardy 
poplars. The breeze increasing to a gale, in eight hours from the 
time we set sail, the high red-fronted mountain of Newhaven rose 
