Tour to the Northern Lakes, Part II [pp. 733-742]

SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER.
we found it so cool that we were not warm even with
our cloaks-and snow was predicted by some of the
passengers-it falling thus early, occasionally, in these
elevated regions. Hollidaysburg contains, I should
think, 1200 or 1500 inhabitants. The landscapes along
the canal are often extremely beautiful. On one side
of the canal are steep mountain sides, covered with
trees, except where there chances to be a slope of broken rocks, or a rugged cliff; on the other, the Juniata,
meandering some 20 or 30 feet below the canal; and on
its farther border, are seen rich cultivated fields, and
rising grounds, or mountains in the distance. Sometimes the river itself is used as a canal, and now and
then it is hemmed ill between two steep mountain sides,
which bending at either end, it exhibits the appearance of a very pretty lake. We had travelled yesterday at night about 80 miles, and this evening, we had
made about 170 miles. Our course is at about the rate of
3] miles an hour, stoppages at the locks included. Our
passage along the rail road required 5 hours for the 37
miles. Juniata is celebrated for the goodness, as well
as the abundance of its iron. We reached Harrisburg
about midnight, and here wait until morning to take
the rail road to Philadelphia.
The passage of this great channel of communication
between Philadelphia and Pittsburg, through a country
so impeded by mountains and rivers, has given rise to
a variety of expedients adapted to the particular species
of difficulty. Thus we travel to Johnstown, 104 miles
by canal-thence to Hollidaysburg, 37 miles by rail
road-thence by canal to Harrisburg, 145 miles-thence
by rail road to a part of the road where a tunnel is to
penetrate a hill-thence 21 miles by stages-thence by
rail road to Philadelphia,- miles. But in both the
canals and rail roads, there are processes and machinery
of a peculiar character, occasionally found necessary.
Thus, at one place, where the river is sometimes too
high and impetuous for the use of poles, and where our
horses could be of no use, for want of a bridge, we
crossed the Juniata by means of a rope stretched across
the stream, and running on iron rollers, on posts,
planted on piers, which rope is put in motion by a wa ter wheel in a small house on the banks, that is worked
by water from the canal. The inclined planes too, are
sometimes descended by steam, and sometimes by
horses, and in one instance, by the mere gravity of the
cars. Where the Juniata enters the Susquehannah,
which is here near a mile wide, a bridge had been
thrown across the river, on which rails were laid, and
the canal boats were placed upon wheels, and thus
transported as so many cars; but a part of the bridge
being carried away by a fresh, a small steamboat was
provided for the purpose of towing the boats across. It
was just night when we reached this place, and our
passage was extremely picturesque. The little steam boat had been fitted up with a locomotive engine, which
sent forth its sparks as a stream of fire in the night.
On one side of us was the part of the lofty bridge which
had not been carried away, and the piers of the residue
beneath, and around us the smooth surface of the Sus quehannah, reflecting the light of the engine and of our
lamp as from a mirror; and on the opposite side, a
packet boat, like our own, filled with passengers, hav ing her windows illuminated, as it were, her deck
crowded with gentlemen, and her bow filled with ladies,
attracted by the same curiosity that we felt, and whose
head-dresses, shawls, &c. were seen in the full light that
shone upon them as plain as in the day. A more striking and picture-light night-scene I never witnessed.
There are two immense walls here, through which we
pass from the river to the canal. They are obliged to
be made very high and strong, to defend the canal from
the fury of its waters, when the Susquehannah is much
swollen.
After enjoying the scene along the banks of the Susquehannah a short time, I turned in with the rest of the
passengers, and we were thus unconsciously conveyed to
Harrisburg, which we reached about midnight. Before
we started (half after five in the morning), I made out to
dress, pack up my loose articles, take a survey of this
town, the metropolis of Pennsylvania, and return in
time to shave. Harrisburg is pleasantly situated on
the Susquehannah, without any commanding eminences, but it seems not to be a place of much trade or
business, and it conveyed to my mind the impression
that it was supported chiefly by its being the seat of
government. The State House or Capital, as they
seem to call it here, is a very plain, unpretending brick
building, altogether unworthy of this large and wealthy
state. The lanes appear to be very dirty and neglected,
and to indicate the abodes of poverty. I should think
the population did not exceed 5,000. We breakfasted
a few miles from Harrisburg, and in the same hasty
style, took dinner a few miles from Philadelphia, which
we reached about 3 o'clock, having thus travelled 110
miles in 91 hours. We were delayed not only by the
two meals, and the firequent intervening stoppages for
wood and water, and for affording the passengers the
means of refreshing themselves and the pockets of the
hotel keepers; but by the necessity of changing from
the rail road cars to stages, where the rail road is un finished for 21 miles-it being intended here to pass
through a tunnel, and by an inclined plane five-eighths
of a mile in length at the Schuylkill, 4 miles from Phi ladelphia. Our numbers were now greatly increased
by several successive accessions from other canals, way
passengers, &c., so that we had 4 large cars in our
train. We met besides 5 other trains-a part of them
very long ones. We occasionally came near the once
celebrated turnpike road, between Lancaster and Phi ladelphia, and it has been so thoroughly superseded by
the rail road, that the grass is everywhere springing up
in the ruts along its stony bed.
The land around Harrisburg seems to be thin, but it
improves as you descend; and in the neighborhood of
Lancaster it is very good, and very well cultivated.
For a considerable part of the way, the eye is regaled
with the sight of extensive plains laid off into fields,
either covered with green clover, or ripe oats, or on
which the grain has been recently taken-and the farm houses and farms indicate plenty and comfort, and a
great subdivision of property. Dairy farms multiply
as we approach the city. They are known by the
great number of cows which are seen pasturing on the
clover fields.
We reached Broad street in Philadelphia about 2
o'clock, having previously taken a hasty, but very good
dinner on the road. * * * * * *
After passing some days in Philadelphia, Baltimore,
and Washington, I reached Albemarle on the 5th of
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