Impressions of America | Page 8

and common vegetables, the sea upon their shores is famous for the quantity and quality of its fish, and therefore is this grasping spirit a matter of some marvel. I found all my American fellow-voyagers who had been on shore, equally struck with the singularity of our reception, and especially mortified at the exhibition of pauperism never to be met with upon the main. I passed two years in America, and the only place where I ever was importuned by a native beggar was at this island.
Our voyage back was quickly accomplished, being before the wind; but the rolling of the vessel occasioned a da capo of the morning's scene, anything but pleasant, crowded as we were. This was my very first attempt at a "steam-boat excursion," the allurements of which are daily set forth, coloured after anything but nature, in all the journals: a man may be excused for doing a foolish thing once; this is one of the follies I can safely pledge myself never to commit again. The Rhode Island party was landed at Newport early in the evening, and in so much had the advantage of the pleasure seekers from higher up the river. If ever there should chance such another tempting of "Providence," I hope, for sake of its pretty girls, it may be successfully resisted.
On the 27th of August I took leave of Newport and its pleasant atmosphere and sociable visitors; and certainly think that it would be difficult to select a place better adapted for a summer's residence, were there any means of conserving one's individuality a little: the situation and climate being unexceptionable.

NEW YORK.
ROCKAWAY.--A ROAD ADVENTURE.
Finding a hot day in New York on my arrival, I accompanied Mr. R----d and his lady to Rockaway, a fine beach on Long Island, and upon which a subscription hotel of enormous dimensions has this year been built.
At this palace of the sand-hills, outside of which nothing attractive is to be found save a breeze, I encountered many of my New York friends. The crowd was now thinned daily by departures; but if the persons who had departed were as agreeable as those yet remaining, and animated by a similar spirit of enjoyment, their absence was a serious loss. A spirit of sociability and good-humour seemed to prevail here; and the inducements for walking being limited to loose sand-hills, without the least shade, on a rough shingle beach, the fun was all reserved for the evening, when the inmates assembled in the drawing-room, where each contributed a quota; and music, conundrums, waltzing, a quadrille, or a Virginian reel, made a couple of hours literally fly away. Here, as in most of the watering-places of the country, early hours appeared a standing rule.
This house is well arranged, and the table exceedingly good. My stay was limited to three or four days, a circumstance I regretted the less on account of finding that most of my intimate acquaintance were returning to their homes.
On Sunday, September 14th, at two o'clock P.M., embarked on board the mail-boat for Amboy, taking with me a nag I had used as a saddle-hack throughout the summer months; my purpose being to ride through the country intervening between the Raritan and the Delaware rivers, as I had done on more than one occasion, but never before by the same route exactly which I now intended to pursue by way of changing the scene.
I found five horses on board the boat, bound for Bordenton races, and about five o'clock we were all landed at Amboy, whence I directly pushed on for my next stage, Hightstown. The road was a track of light white sand, and ran through a close dwarf forest, stocked with a fine growth of musquitoes, but having no one attraction to call for the halt of a minute. By half-past seven I had reached my quarters for the night; saw my horse well taken care of under the superintendence of a good-humoured Irish boy, who was ostler, and, as he informed me, deputy waiter, besides having a "power of other things to be doin';" next, partook of a comfortable supper, and, after a short walk about the village, to bed; my purpose being to reach Bordenton next morning by six o'clock, to take the early boat for Philadelphia.
About three o'clock A.M. I was roused by my host, who brought me a light. He had made a good guess at the time; but it would have been as well had he slept an hour or two later. My horse was soon got ready, and I set forward to feel my way, with an assurance that I had nothing to do but keep right a-head, the road being as straight as a hickory pole.
The morning was fine, but cold: the stars yet twinkled brightly;