Page:American Historical Review, Volume 12.djvu/90

 8o, Dociuucnis out the tides, or inland in low swampy places, some of those have run- ning- streams, which may be turnd into the swamps when the rice or the fertihsing the ground requires it, for instead of dung, they lay their fallows under water for 2 or 3 years ; I went to see some plantations nearest the town but the most perfect are those on the Santee river or near George town. The back country is cultivated in Tobacco, but the distance they are oblig'd to send it by land must barely give a living to the planter, they put a shaft through the hhd and rowl it down with 2 Horses, and tho' it is drag'd through swamps and pools of water it is so hard pack'd as not to be damag'd. I am told the country beyond the Hills is a fine climate and soil. it is inhabited by Refugies from Virginia, whose manners are more savage than the Indians, but they are a strong hardy race, and I make no doubt in time will become respect- able to their Neighbours. I saild from Charles Town the 24th. March in the brig Hetty Clouser bound for Philadelphia, my original intention was to go to Norfolk in Virginia, and thence by land to that City, and to have call'd in my way on Genl. Washington at Mt. Vernon, but I learnd that he was on his way to Carolina, therefore I chang'd my rout, we sailed with a very fair wind for 2 days when it became quite contrary and we had very bad stormy weather, and it was 10 days before we made the Capes of the Delaware, the land thereabouts is as flat very near as at Carolina, the river is very wide till within 60 Miles of the Town, when it nar- rows considerably, it is counted 150 or 160 Miles from the Capes to the Town, the Jersey shore seems but little cultivated, the other side has several small Towns which look very pleasant, the tide is very rapid, and in two days more making in all 12 days from Charles town, we got up to the wharf the 4th. April. one does not see the city on acct. of the short turnings of the different reaches till within a league of it. it's appearance is not so striking as Charles town, but when landed the streets exhibit great neatness and regularity, and the houses are well built and all of brick, the streets are pav'd, but are at present in a very bad condition ; Market Street is the broadest but the lower part of it is spoild by the stalls for provisions, the exhibition of which is very fine, and their beef rivals Leaden hall, fish is not quite so plentifull, and is mostly of one sort, the streets are lay'd out paralel with the wharfs, and are nam'd Front, Second etc, the cross streets amongst which is the Market Street, have various names, the town is very extensive, and houses let at a very high price especially since the Congress have fix'd themselves here, lots of land for building are at an enormous price, at the back of the town is a very large tract of land all mark'd out as far [as] the Schul- kill for buildings, and they are soon to build a Square, in which is to be the Presidents house, and all the Federal offices, the Government buildings belonging to the state are uniform, and neat and have a good walk behind them, the Court house is small, nor do they use more