Travels in the United States of America Commencing in the Year 1793, and Ending in 1797

Travels in the United States of America - Commencing in the Year 1793, and Ending in 1797. With The Author's Journals of his Two Voyages Across the Atlantic.

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Title: Travels in the United States of America Commencing in the Year 1793, and Ending in 1797. With The Author's Journals of his Two Voyages Across the Atlantic.
Author: William Priest
Release Date: March 11, 2004 [EBook #11545]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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[Illustration: PETER BROWN'S ARMS.]
TRAVELS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA;
Commencing in the Year 1793, and Ending in 1797. With The Author's Journals of his Two Voyages Across the Atlantic
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BY WILLIAM PRIEST, Musician, Late of the Theatres Philadelphia, Baltimore and Boston.
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CAPPRICCIO con----
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LONDON: Printed for J. Johnson, No. 72, St. Paul's Church-Yard
* * * * *
1802.
Bryer, Printer, Bridewell Hospital, Bridge Street.
PREFACE.
An elegant writer observes that a preface may be dispensed with in any work, if the author (either from his humility of justice) think that his style be calculated only to put his readers to sleep. Though I do not think the publication of the following sheets will materially affect the price of opium, I cannot intrude this volume on the public without informing them, what all my friends will vouch for the truth of, viz.-- that on my return from America, in 1797, I wrote the work in its present form for their perusal; and, that conscious of my want of talent as a writer, I resisted all their entreaties for its publication, till within these three months.
The public, I presume, will not be wholly disappointed; the extracts I have made from _Jefferson_, _Belknap_, and other american writers, are worthy their attention: I have no other merit than having placed them in a tolerable point of view.
"The God of Truth, and all who know me, will bear testimony that, from my whole soul, I despise deceit, as I do all silly claims to superior wisdom, and infallibility, which so many writers, by a thousand artifices, endeavour to make their readers imagine they possess."

CONTENTS.
Introduction
JOURNAL--Gravesend--why so called--Deal--Falmouth--Pendennis castle--a gale--a hymn--the gulph weed--sun set at sea--dolphins and flying fish-- first account of the yellow fever--arrival in the Delaware--on shore in the Jerseys--Woodbury--melancholy visit to Philadelphia--arrival at Annapolis
ANNAPOLIS--why so called--extract from the charter--situation--loss of the trade--accounted for--Annapolitans partial to theatrical amusements-- produce of Maryland--tobacco--wheat--new species of manure
JOURNEY TO THE CAPITAL--filial affection of the negroes--fried squirrels and coffee--Baltimore--the mighty Susquana--intrepidity of a slave--how rewarded--Wilmington--Brandywine--grist mills--the battle--Chester-- arrival at Philadelphia
TWO ANECDOTES--a gentleman blacksmith not ashamed of his origin--a high sheriff doing his duty
PHILADELPHIA--state of, in 1681--Penn's arrival in 1701--intended plan of the city--not observed--situation--advantages of exports--entries in 1793-- buildings how constructed--houses removed intire--new theatre--pleasure carriages--removal of the state government to Lancaster
MANNER OF LIVING OF THE PHILADELPHIANS--breakfast--dinner--supper--bad effects of such diet--relishes in stile at an American tea-garden
BACK SETTLER--arrives at his purchase--builds his huts--manner of clearing the land--Indian corn--advantages of--the black and grey squirrels-- attacked by the Indians--extract--he escapes the scalping knife--more comfortably situated--an idle back settler--his manner of life--what he calls liberty--joins the Indians at war with the states--the demisavage copies only the black side of the Indian character
PENNSYLVANIA PLANTER--enjoys a happy state of mediocrity between riches and poverty--the children how disposed of--the boys--effect of the religious education given to the girls not intirely eradicated even by a brothel--a country sleighing match--another in Philadelphia in stile--a fiddler a necessary apendage
FROGS--two extracts--they sit croaking to the wonderment of strangers-- land of enchantment--frog concert--how supported--treble--counter tenor-- tenor--bass--fire-flies--night-hawks--probable effects on an enthusiastic cockney
JOURNEY TO LANCASTER--the Pioli--Wayne's surprise--appointed to the command of the western army--Indian war--shocking effects of-- misunderstanding between the Canadians and American citizens--accounted for--French agents--the British government vindicated--Proceed on the journey--charming prospects--beauties of the Susquana destroys the navigation--arrival at Lancaster--rifle manufactory--uncommon shot of two back woodsmen--Dutch schools--three concerts--two German sans culottes-- extracts from the regulations of the Hanover dancing assembly--German and Irish emigrants
FEDERAL COINAGE not approved of by the people--the new scheme contrasted with the old one--advantages of an even division by the decimal
DELAWARE SHAD FISHERY--stupidity of the Anglo-Americans in giving English names to animals peculiar to the new continent--length of the siens-- greatest haul of shad on record--fanatical law of the Quakers injurious to the fishery--sturgeon--extract from general Lincoln on the migration of fishes
JOURNEY TO BALTIMORE--water-stage--Newcastle--Glasgow--the Elk--bay of Chesapeake--arrival at Baltimore--yellow fever
BALTIMORE--situation--disadvantages of--the Dutch plan of canals not adapted to a southern latitude--the former