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per’s Ferry, as I went to the west, and last of all, as I travelled 
in an eastern direction from Staunton to Charlotte ville. 
Behind the Blue mountains we saw grain and Indian com 
flourish in a cultivated region, and reached Harrisburg. We 
delayed here about two hours, and met with a stage which had 
come from Pittsburgh by the southern road. Harrisburg is two 
hundred and nine miles from Pittsburgh, and a hundred from 
Philadelphia, occupies a somewhat elevated position between the 
left side of the Susquehanna and Paxton creek, and may contain 
about four thousand inhabitants. It is the metropolis and seat of 
government of the state of Pennsylvania, and contains a capitol, 
with the other necessary buildings. These stand on an elevation, 
commanding the city; the capitol is in the middle, and on both 
sides of it are two buildings containing public offices. All three 
are of brick, and their entrances decorated with colonnades of 
. white stone. These columns stand in a semicircle. The capitol 
consists of two stories, with a cupola sustained by columns. The 
assembly rooms of the senate, and of the representatives are in 
the lower story; the seats are arranged in a semicircle, and rise in 
height as in an amphitheatre. The upper story contains lodgings 
for the governor, which are indeed splendid, however, the present 
governor, Mr. Shulze, does not use them, and inhabits a private 
house in the city. I regretted that my time did not allow me to 
form a personal acquaintance with this public officer, of whom such 
different opinions have been entertained. The capitol and offices 
are covered with slate, whilst the houses of the city are generally 
roofed with shingles. The city is regularly built, with paved 
streets, and contains many brick houses, a court-house, and a jail. 
A covered wooden bridge leads over the Susquehanna, which is 
divided by an island in the river into two parts. The piers of 
this bridge consist of stone, not united by mortar, but by iron 
clamps. 
At two o’clock in the afternoon we left Plarrisburg, and rode 
thirty-six miles farther to Lancaster, in hot weather and much 
dust. The road was better, the stage more convenient, the 
changes shorter, and the passage quicker. We continued on the 
left side of the Susquehanna for nine miles; at Middletown we 
forded the Swatara creek, although a handsome wooden roofed 
bridge leads over it, and then left the shores of the Susquehanna. 
After passing Conewago creek, we entered Lancaster county, 
celebrated for its good cultivation, and almost entirely inhabited 
by descendants of Germans. The fields all appear to be extremely 
well cultivated; worm-fences were superseded by posts and rails. 
I was particularly struck with the barns, which often look better 
than the dwelling-houses; the houses are generally of wood, and 
not handsome, whereas the barns are generally built of stone, 
