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of the river, produced a very fine effect I remained a long time 
on deck in conversation with Captain Maclean; no rest could be 
obtained in bed, as, in addition to the noise of the machinery, 
six horses trampled just above me on deck, and a German me¬ 
chanic, who was unable to sleep, talked to himself, near me. We 
arrived very early next morning at Baltimore. After our arrival, 
the president took a carriage for Washington, which is only 
thirty-six miles distant. The greater part of the travellers re¬ 
mained in bed until between six and seven o’clock. I went 
through the somewhat solitary but regular streets to the hotel, 
called the Indian Queen, where lodgings had been prepared for 
me. Here I had the pleasure to meet Sir Michael Clare and his 
lady; shortly after my arrival, I received the visit of’ Mr. Huy¬ 
gens, son to the Chevalier Bangemann Huygens, ambassador 
from the Netherlands, at Washington, officer of our artillery, and 
attached to the legation. His father had the politeness to place 
this young gentleman at my disposal. As soon as I was estab¬ 
lished in the hotel, I went out in company with Sir Michael, in 
order to see the curiosities of the city. The town is of a regular 
construction, and contains, as I was assured, seventy-five thousand 
inhabitants. Great projects are formed for increasing its pros¬ 
perity; these projects, however, have been somewhat stopped by 
some considerable failures. This place has increased with almost 
incredible rapidity; in the year 1752, there were only ten houses. 
The streets are wide, with foot-walks, some of them are planted 
as in Philadelphia, with poplar trees. The city seems tolerably 
animated; I saw a very great number of negroes in the streets. 
The state of Maryland is the first on which I set my foot where 
the slavery of negroes is legally maintained. Farther to the south, 
this state of things is every where common. I merely mention 
the fact; it does not belong to me to give opinions on so deli¬ 
cate a subject. Still my journey convinced me of the truth of 
the old observation, that inaccurate judgments are easily formed 
respecting things not sufficiently known, which we have neither 
seen nor examined ourselves. We first visited the Washington 
Monument, situated on a hill. It is, or rather will be, erected 
by the state of Maryland; it consists of a column of white marble 
one hundred and sixty feet high, it is to be adorned with bas-re¬ 
liefs of bronze, representing scenes from the life of the hero. On 
the top of the column is to be placed the colossal statue of this 
great man. But the requisite funds are wanting; and therefore 
these ornaments are not yet finished. We ascended the column 
by a spiral staircase of two hundred and twenty-six steps, but did 
not enjoy a fine prospect, on account of the misty atmosphere. 
We visited another monument, erected to the memory of the 
citizens who fell in the defence of Baltimore on the 12th of Sep- 
