THE SUSQUEHANNAH. 137 
t 
to gratify a wandering disposition; in every 
change he hopes to make money. By the 
desire of making money, both the Germans 
and Americans of every class and description* 
are actuated in all their movements; self-in¬ 
terest is always uppermost in their thoughts; 
it is the idol which they worship, and at its 
shrine thousands and thousands would be found* 
in all parts of the country, ready to make a sa¬ 
crifice of every noble and generous sentiment 
that can adorn the human mind. 
In coming to this place from Lancaster, I 
crossed the Susquehannah River, which runs 
nearly midway between the two towns, at the 
small village of Columbia, as better boats are 
kept there than at either of the ferries higher 
up or lower down the river. The Susque¬ 
hannah is here somewhat more than a quarter 
of a mile wide: and for a considerable distance, 
both above and below the ferry, it abounds 
with islands and large rocks, over which last 
the water runs with prodigious velocity: the 
roaring noise that it makes is heard a great 
way off. The banks rise very boldly on each 
side, and are thickly wooded ; the islands also 
are covered with small trees, which, inter¬ 
spersed with the rocks, produce a very fine 
effect. The scenery in every point of view 
is wild and romantic. In crossing the river 
it is necessary to row up against the stream 
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