THE following journal was by no means originally 
designed for publication. I wrote it during my travels* 
partly to recall past incidents at a future period, partly 
to give, with more ease and certainty, information to my 
much-honoured parents, my relatives, and friends, on 
any subject, upon which inquiry might be made. After 
my return, the book was read by several, for whose pe¬ 
rusal it had not been altogether intended. Many judi¬ 
cious persons imagined that it would be of interest to a 
larger number of readers, and variously and repeatedly 
requested its publication, in order to give it a more ex¬ 
tensive circulation. As I could not easily withstand these 
solicitations, and besides met with an experienced and 
worthy person, Counsellor Luden, to whom, as editor, 
I might without hesitation entrust the whole manuscript, 
I yielded; whether with propriety or not, I cannot tell. 
As to the voyage itself, I have nothing to say, either 
with regard to its cause or design. The idea of visit¬ 
ing America, occupied me, almost from my earliest years. 
Why this idea arose, or why it continued in my mind, 
is not a matter of much moment. The chief reason 
was, I wished to see the new world; the country; the 
people; their conditions and institutions; their customs 
and manners. The more I became acquainted with the 
old world, the more my desire to see the new increased. 
The state and relations of the European countries, how¬ 
ever, and the duties by which I deem myself bound, as a 
military man, to the country, to which I had dedicated my 
services, precluded the hope of an early accomplishment 
of my design. Still I made the necessary preparations 
as far as my situation and circumstances allowed, so that 
the voyage might not be made at a future time without 
some advantage. At last Europe appeared to have at- 
