The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1825-10-20
MISCELLANY.

|. Letter of thecelebrated Gouverneur Morris.
on the condition and prospects of the west
of New-York, written TO friend in Europe,
more than twenty-five years since-after a
tour through that country.
WASHINGTON, Goth Dec. 1900.
Ny dear Friend.-I have before me, un-
answered your kind letters Of the 3D. April
9th July, and 1lth September. | find you
have been much traveller last summer.
too have been one, but through countries
from whence / could not write, and in
which received no letters. In July last,
left home TO visit some property of my own,
and some which was confded TO my care
by others, in the northern part of the state
of New-York. | went by way of Albany
the lakes George and Ckamplain, to Mon
treal. After partaking for some days Of
the festive hospitality Of that place, we
took boat, and went up the st. Lawrence
to Lake Ontario, and along the south side
of that Lake to Niagara thence by land
to Lake Erie, and so back again. The
launt consumed so much time, that | could
not reach my own house until a few days
of the period, was bound to come hither.
and in those days could scarcely get
through the business which lay upon me.
Since my arrival at this place, | have been,
and still continue necessarily occupied.
III thought description would convey an
accurate idea of what saw during this ex-
cursion, would attempt to paint objects
which must be seen to be understood.
Hudson's River differs from your Elbe in
every feature except the breadth near two
| miles wide at New-York, il swells by de-
grees into lake of six miles before you
reach the mountains called the Highlands,
which are forty miles from the city. The
western shore is for thirty miles a high and
perpendicular rock; the eastern consists of
lofty hills, variegatod with forests, orchards.
cottages, corn-felds, and pasture /; in short
it displays every thing which can render a
country at once grand and beautiful. The
river, generally straight, is, in its passage
through the mountains, forced TO serpcntine
by jutting promontories. These are high,
steep, and abrupt, where pendant rocks
frown upon the passenger. Like your
Champions, they are huge masses of gran
te; and in some parts, like them, their
breasts lie bear to the blast but in general
they are clothed with luxuriant foliage. AZ
ter progress of 20 miles through this
range of mountains, you open on, a wide
sheet Of water, extending nearly as far as
the eye can reach, with breadth of about
two miles; and you see at a distance on
your left, the head of the Allegheny. On
your right is continuation Of the noun
tains you have passed, which stretching un-
der various names, through Vermont and
along the bounds Of Lower Canada, termi-
nate at the Gulph Of st. Lawrence. AS
you ascend towards Albany, you pass two
ridges, beginning each at the distance Of
| ten or twelve miles from the west bank Of
the river.-The valleys between these
ridges extend southwark TO the bay of Mex
leo. They are varied by hills and watered
by many streams, no one Of which, except
the Hudson, is navigable Except by fiat
bottomed boats> up to much less beyond
the first or southeasternmost range.
About 30 miles to the southwark of Alba
ny, you have already turned the third range,
which is the head of the Allegheny, called
al that place the blue mountains, and the
KatskM hill; for the English have rendered
by the word hill, the Dutch word berg and
the stream OF kill, which runs from them,
was anciently infested by panthers and the
large wild cot. As you approach Albany,
the features Of the scene begin to soften {;
the shores are neither so high nor so steep,
and at length, sailing among rich meadows
and islands, you reach that city, which is
| 100 miles from New-Yoik. Something
more than 60 miles farther north, is the
south end Of Lake George. In riding up
wards from Albany, along the Hudson, you
pass over some fine land, well cultivated !;
and in crossing by bridge, the mouth of
the Mohawk river, you sec, at less than
half a mile, the great Cahoos falls of above
20 feet perpendiculur height, ofer which
tumbics river as large as the Elbe, Mt
Wirtemberg. At a place called Fort Ed
ward, you see the Hudson, a stream still
more coprous. precioitatc itself over oata-