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a large capital. There were eighty-four thousand guns. If the 
value of one be estimated only at thirteen dollars, it makes the 
sum of one million and ninety-two thousand dollars. 
From the arsenal, we were conducted to a new manufactory, 
half a mile from the town, where Mr. Hall’s patent guns are con¬ 
structed under his own direction. He not being present, I was 
not fortunate enough to find any body to explain the machinery, 
which appeared not yet in full action. Dr. Weise, went with us 
to a mountain above this place, called Jefferson’s Rock. The 
prospect from it is really very fine; it agrees with the descrip¬ 
tion, yet I believe I have seen finer landscapes in Germany. 
From that place also, the town can be surveyed, the houses of 
which appeared to be rather scattered; of its fifteen hundred in¬ 
habitants, three hundred are working in the gun manufactory. 
The ground for the most part belongs to the government, and 
well recommended persons obtain permission to build upon it. 
On an elevation, near Jefferson’s Rock, a large building, three 
stories high, has been erected. The first story was intended for 
a church, the second for a Lancasterian school, and the third for 
a free mason’s lodge. I suffered very much from a very cold 
wind, which brought with it a little snow. In the evening, Dr. 
Weise came to me with a bridge builder, who was a native of 
Reuslingen, who came here thirty years ago as a baker, and then 
had learned the art of constructing mills and bridges. The se¬ 
cond bridge on the Schuylkill, above Philadelphia, built of a sin¬ 
gle arch, is of his invention, and the next year he was to build 
one here over the Potomac. 
On the 19th of November, we left Harper’s ferry in a clear, 
but very cold morning, and set off on a journey to the Natural 
Bridge, which is one hundred and seventy-five miles distant. We 
rode in an ordinary stage. The improvement of stages, appears 
not yet to have extended beyond the Blue Mountains, because 
we were obliged to be contented with one, which was in every 
respect very uncomfortable. The way led us through a hilly 
country and was very bad. We went for a considerable distance 
on rocks; on the road, a great many loose stones were lying, and 
I was surprised, that our miserable vehicle was not broken to 
pieces. At break of day, we arrived at a small place called 
Smithfield, eighteen miles from Harper’s ferry. A couple of 
miles farther, we came to warm Sulphur Springs, the water of 
which has the taste of spoiled eggs, like that of Aix-la-Chapelle. 
It seems to be very little known, as there is no enclosure around 
it, and no houses near. A lucky chance will no doubt make it 
known, and I should not be surprised, were I to come hither 
again in fifteen or twenty years, to find at this spot an elegant 
watering place, somewhat like Saratoga Springs. The road con- 
