Bin 
1i¢ 
tend greatly to disfigure the American 
land{cape. ‘The mind is however reliev- 
ed by the reflection that thefe are the in- 
fallible fymptoms of progreffive popula- 
ticn and cultivation, and that a few years 
will certainly remove the firft, if not the, 
It was in this val-. 
jaft of thefe eye-fores. 
Jey that we firft witneffed the practice of 
irrigation, and we had frequent occafion 
to notice the eare, judgment, and. tafte, 
with which it was conducted. 
I think I have before obferved, that fo- 
Jitude was the great feature of America, 
and in Eaftern America this remark is as 
applicable tothe etherial as to the terref- 
trial regions. We fee but few birds 
wherewith the horizon is enlivened ; but 
when they are feen, it is in great flocks. 
You may often gaze for an hour without 
feeing a bnd. This is very different 
from what it isin England, where the vo- 
eal inhabitants of the air are ever flitting 
before you. The practice of building the 
faryni-houfes under the fhade of afew fur- 
rounding trees, though it adds much to 
the comfort of the inhabitants ; and burn- 
ing wood initead of coals, and at this fea- 
fon of the year ufing as little fire as pof- 
fible; all increafe this apparent folitude. 
‘Though probably near a houfe, you know 
it not: no friendly circling column of 
fmoke apprizes the weary traveller that he 
is near where his wants may be relieved 
and his fatigue removed. 
At Boonfboro’ we had tea, coffee, frefh- 
herrings, and excellent veal-cutlets, for ' 
fupper, for all which we were charged a 
quarter of a dollar each. 
We left Boonfboro’ before day, nor 
could we fairly diftinguifh objects previous 
to our arrival at Funk’s-Town, a long, 
neat, and beautifully fituated German vil- 
jage, about cight miles from the place of 
farting. The land in its neighbour- 
hood is very productive, and covered 
with luxuriant timber. Proceeding to 
Hapers-Town, where we breakfafted, 
we could not but notice the apparent 
wealth and comfort of the yeomanry of 
this valley ; the ftrong, fubftantial brick 
and ftone heufes ; the well cultivated and 
inclofed fields, and the orchards loaded 
with bloffoms. The land around Ha- 
gers- Town had been fo long and fo fully 
cleared, as to emulate the extenfivenefs of 
European views. The ftock were fleck 
and fat: the cows had large diftended 
dugs, and the horfes were generally in 
fine orders The wheat looked remark- 
ably fine ; and we were informed on our 
return, that one field belonging to Gene- 
ral Sprigg, which confifted of two hun- 
Hiffory of the Ruffian Stage: 
dred and fifty acres, produced on an ave-_ 
rage forty bufhels of wheat per acre. This 
field muft have been fully cleared of the 
ftumps, as moft of the land is in the neigh- 
bourhood of Hagers-Town. The land 
in this vicinity fells for from fifteen to 
thirty pounds per acre, Maryland curren- 
cy, which is 7s. 6d. to the dollar. The 
neighbourhood of Hagers-Town is cele- 
brated for producing the beft kite-foot or 
Oroonoko tobacéo, which is principally 
fhipped to Amfterdam and Hamburg. It 
was originally grown at Elkton in Mary- 
land, but is now produced principally, if 
not entirely, in Frederic and Wafhington 
counties. The principal difference in its 
culture confifts in not topping the plans, 
and, in curing, to houfe it green. It is 
beft adapted to arich light foil. This is 
the earlieft tobacco that gets to market. 
Great care is required in handling the 
plant, and preventing the leaf from {pot- 
ting, as its value confifts in its being of @ 
clear light colour. 
commenced by a Mr. Hagers about twen- 
ty-eight years back. It is now the capi- 
tal of Wafhington-County. It contains 
upwatds of eight hundred houfes, princi« 
pally of brick and ftone, a handfome 
court-houfe, market-houfe, and jail, and 
about fix thoufand inhabitants. 
a confiderable trade to the weft. 
Having breakfafted at Hagers-Town, 
we ftarted for Chamberfburgh, twenty 
miles. About eight miles from Hagers- 
Town we crofled the line which divides 
Maryland from Pennfylvania ; and hav- 
ing now quitted the flave-holding ftates, E_ 
fhall conclude this letter with the affurances 
of the efteem of your obedient fervant, 
R. DINMORE. 
Alexandria, Diftri& of Columbia, 
OGfober 235 1805. * 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
ABRIDGED HISTORY of th@ RUSSIAN - 
STAGE, 
EFORE a nation is capable of deriv- 
ing pleafure from theatrical reprefen - 
tations, it is neceflary that it fhouid have: 
arrived at a certain degree of civilization ; 
that its genius, naturally warlike, fhould 
have been foftened by peaceful arts ; that 
the fertility and richnefs of the foil fhould 
permit it to. take repofe, and furnifh it 
with the means of embellifiment. 
owed its origin. The firf fongs were in. 
celebration cf Bacchus ; the joy infpired” 
by the god was univerfally diffuled: the 
youth 
Hagers-Town was 
Several 
mills are in its neighbourhood ; and it has 
to 
this happy fituation the Grecian flage | 
= 
[March 13 - 
