Morning journal and courier., 1880-10-20
CORRESPONDENCE.

terial gentlemen were aboard therefrom
 Hence the train was behind time about forty
 minutes, awaiting their departure. We were
 assured by one of the party from whom wt parted that our trip would be 8 favorable ont
 with so goodly a company of passengers.
 We saw beautiful scenes by the way Round Lake was admirable, with it's hume rous pretty villas and cottages. and it's whole appearance was romantic and inviting. We also noted the elegant Falls of Cohoes, the train at this point passing quite slowly over the bridge The falls have their source in the Mohawk river They were looking fine. ly, although the drought in that section had somewhat affected them. West Troy is @ lovely place, and others as pleasant were within vision. Our ride took about an hour and we swiftly moved until we reached the wharf where the great Albany" was in waiting with many passengers already on board People rushed of the train and up- on the steamer. We had the bulk of our baggage checked through, and now rid our selves of travelling bags and parcels. Then we felt quite free, and ascended the broad staircase, passing through the grand saloon and finding our way to the deck. The band was enthusiastically playing Soon we moved off. The scenery along the first of the route on this end of the river is not generally con- sidered as interesting as IS that further on but to us it looked very charming with the
 
 yellow cone flowers, in such abundance at the waters edge; it's villas and it's towns and viii lages above the banks, especially upon the west side. Sitting and gazing, it all seemed like some exquisite dream, and it as,-a dream of life. We sat upon deck an hours time or longer, not much less interested in the passengers than in the scenes. First class people patronize the river day boats There were several bridal couples on board One of these afforded considerable amuse- ment, as coming arm-in-arm out on deck they with self-consciousnes appeared. The groom was evidently young minister, and both himself and bride, although finely at tired, as evidently from the country. He wore glasses, through which awkwardly he stole loving glances at his bride in her brown suit with satin trimmings. He walked up to the mammoth pile of camp chairs, selected one, and turning it wrong side upwards set it down for his fair one, who very unsuspect- ingly seated herself, he himself appropria- ting another which he arranged in the same way. A smile passed among the spectators, which finally threatened to burst into hearty laughter, as porter rushed up to the happy pair and exclaimed: No, no that is not the way" and readjusted the chairs, which, doubtless. were more comfortable when they were placed so as to support the backs of the occupants.
 The Albany is a much larger steamer
 
 and very much longer, and is made of solid iron, being grand in all her appointments The furniture in the saloon IS of mahogany richly carved, in Queen Anne style, and up- holstered with dark red plush, the carpet ex- tremely dark with green fern leaves and deep red roses. Two magnificent paintings in heavy gilt frames, of the White Mountains and Yosemite Valley, by Copsley and Bier stadt, are hung opposite one another in the central salon and can be viewed on either side as they are reflected in large mirrors. There are numbers of very nice small private par lors opening from this apartment But no staterooms are on the day boats.
 In previous letter 1t was stated that the ''C. Vibbard" was the fastest steamer on the river This we heard contradicted in favor of the Albany" and saw the contra diction sustained, as the ''Albany," under ad- verse winds, gained nearly all of the forty minutes lost through detention of the Sara toga down train. However, 1t f perhaps a matter of choice to the superiority in ele- gance of either boat, as both are floating palaces The furniture of the ''Vibbard' is light colored and gorgeous; that of the ''Al- bany'' richly dark. On the "Vibbard" the doors of the pilot house are not locked, al though visitors are not freely admitted. On the Albany the key was turned against in- truders, and only those having permit could possibly enter. We spent the hours between II ana O CLOCK III GulS ldfOI0u p1dCSJ HAcIS we had comfortable arm chairs and magnif cent views in complete circuit, without the inconvenience of high winds The hur- ricane deck had settees arranged around it, and many persons braved the wind to get the splendid views. There are two pilots andt two steering wheels. The pilots were both very attentive in point ing out every place of interest, and gave us much profitable instruction. They request ed us to record our names in the big book which already had an extensive list of their visitors. We read many familiar ones from the "City of Films" These pilots said they had been on the river over forty years, and were on the ''Vibbard'' until the "Albany" was completed, when, being the oldest pilots new steamer. They were hearty in their praises of the old one, however, and 1n speaking of the ''Northam," of Long Island Sound pronounced her splendid and an ex- cellent boat also. She, they said, would draw about nine feet or more of water, the river boats less, because they are construct ed for more shallow waters. ''The Albany draws five feet and a half, and she Is the swiftest steamer in the world.
 Leaving the city of Albany in the distance, it had a very fine appearance Illuminated by the early morning sun. Further on one way we saw some young girls rowing on the river side and trying to reach the wake which our steamer had left behind On one spot on the river we saw the heavy iron mud scow hauling sand from the bed of the water and dumping it. We also saw the men diggers for Captain Kidd's money. Fifteen miles from Albany is New Baltimore, situated high up on a hillside. Along here our steamer made exceedingly high waves, in which we could see handsome rainbow as the spray dashed up in our faces. Canal boats, with their occupants pursuing various avocations, were numerous. Forty-nine of them were fastened together in one place, and clothes were drying and babies crying.
 We made the landing at Hudson at quarter past H. Here we began to get fine views of the Catskills, the s'Old Man of the Mountain" and the mountain house upon the summit afar. The artist Church's residence is on the left side, near the point, and overlooks noun tain houses nearly opposite on the right. One of the pilots said ''This is an old story to us, but it is always interesting" He pointed out pretty summer house built at the very edge of the river on two large rocks and said that it had been there for great many years. He also pointed out Whiskey Point, before we reached Rhinebeck, and William Astors place upon a high and superb hill. At the right of Rhinebeck is Rondout or Kingston, which are both one and the same Rhinebeck landing was made at quarter of o'clock. Here was patriotism shown In the floating Republican flags They faced the
  the good old colors and the faces of Garfield and Arthur very visible.
 We gained on and passed every boat on the river, speeding along at rapid rate. One small one called the George Mark crossed in the line ahead of our steamer, and one of our pilots looking intently at it exclaimed, half in jest, half in earnest, "Get along, or we'll cut you right in two" It did get along in a minute of time. At 1925 we met the .sC. Vibbardn near Poughkeepsie, reaching Nevbure at 2:3o The Highlands for miles lay in view, and they were even more to our sight grand than when we went up the river: We were surrounded by them. The real name of the Storm King, we were told, IS Butter Hill, and the new name was more re- gently given it. It is over 300 feet Ill height, and, as we looked up at 1t, it cast over us feeling of awe and reverence. Cornwall is weirdly situated hereabout at the foot of one side of the mount. Old Beacon Hill and Breakneck mountain are opposite. We .o,v o 1ew railroad called the