Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-02-26
A NORTHERN TOUR IN 1877
A Young South Carolinian Visits Bur
lington and Crosses Vermont
EiqhtySx Years A9O.

Prof. Frederick Topper Jr,, of the Uni |
Versity, recently discovered among some
family papers a diary kept by grand
uncle OF his. who came up from South
Carolina u these parts on a pleasure lour
in July. ISL. Professor Topper furnished
portions of this. with lively and illuminate
ing notes OF his own, to the niNerSity
Cynic. 1t appears that the writer of the
diary, n young man of twenty-five went
by sailing vessel from Charleston, ;. 60
to New York and came thence by steam
boat on the Hudson and stages from Al
lflny to Whitehall. From thereon We
copy from the Cynic:
AT Whitehall put up at Rocks hotel
This country is rocky and stony beyond
description, even the tavern Keepers arc
'Rock and Stone The American fleet
lie at this place. viz. The Saratoga,
The Tycondcroga. The Eagle, Tho
Linnet and La CONFERENCE.-THE two last
mentioned were taken from the British.
1T was surely a rare prNilcSc-thc sight
If that brave little navy
w cduesday. August t. at q clock p.
M took passage in the steamboat Phoe-
nix for st. Johns. My friends. Colonel
Kinney and family. landed at Burlington
On Thursday !. Ill the morning. passed
Champlain and lie aux NoiX whore it is
said that there were 800 to $50 pieces of
cannon placed during the late war; it is
now n strong fertilization. Arrived at 10
o clock a. m. at St Johns OD miles dis
tunt from Whitchaln. Took stage and
rode through II beautiful plain of to 10
miles breadth and length. This plain is
thickly settled by French peasants who
have their houses built of timber or logs,
one story high and many Of them covered
with thatCh. Understand that all or the
greatest part of them IRE tenants. some
of them possess considerable wealth, but
prefer to live in this manner rather than
,iEo it,Ntr F,NE.s1 ont on
houses and keep their children in great
ignorance. which is encouraged by their
priests. The fields of grain look very
| fourishing and promise an abundant har-
vest At p. IN. arrived at La Prairie, IS
miles and crossed the ferry O. miles, to
Montreal and put W at Pomeroys
Montreal bored him, In his consclen-
tious fashion. he made the round of its
show -places-St. Paul's, Grey Convent,
etc.--but soon firing of the town he de
| tcrmired to return immediately to st
Johns. and arrived there at O'Clock Sat
urday evening august A. At St Johns
he tarried two days-on Sunday n sermon,
on Monday a show. Il went to see Two
Animals which were carried about Is a
show. The owner called them the Wild
African Trus, but in reanty they were
none other animals than the buffalow.
The male, he said, was twenty-five
months old and girted 10 feet the fe.
| male seventeen months and girted to
| z feet Saw from my window TWO mon
| iump for a bet of ten dollars. Went n
ishing but caught no fish" A red-letter
day. this
.'Tuesday 18th. took steam boat Phoe-
nix for Burlington, - miles, arrived and
nut up at Hayes hotel (This stood on the
| site of Turks store and was in after
years the Howard hotel). Went to an
| exhibit at the White Church (First Con-
| cregational Church, Winoosk avenue J