Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 11).djvu/153

 *factory of arms, conducted on the most scientific principles, and abounding with almost every species of ingenious machinery, worked by steam, and supplied by water running from the mountains near, and carried to the top of the buildings, which, together with the town on the banks of the river, stand in a fortification of {141} rocks. The traveller enters Harper's Ferry by a steep declivity of two miles, so rugged, that I expected we should all break our necks. The southern bank opposite to the town is perpendicularly higher than the ball of St. Paul's cathedral, and on it are growing huge forest trees, which are cut and tumbled down this awful precipice, and floated down the Potowmac. The romantic and stupendous scenes of nature are here unrivalled. No traveller should return from America without seeing Harper's Ferry, which is very well sketched by the late president Jefferson in his Notes on Virginia. I ought to mention, that I dined this day with Mr. Marlow, a kind-hearted sociable gentleman, living out of society between two huge mountains, the Chotocton and the Blue Mountain, and losing the sun daily three quarters of an hour sooner than other places in the neighbourhood. He purchased his present estate, all of fine land, save the mountain land, 300 acres, at 20 dollars an acre, about three years since, and is now offered 60 dollars for it, but it is falling in value. It is all in a state of cultivation and enclosed, and is the third purchase on which he has lived awhile and improved for sale; having thus gained 25,000, or 30,000 dollars, without a cent to begin with. He thinks highly of Illinois and the western states generally, but considers Missouri to be the best, and to be preferred, {142} as being the richest soil, and a land of negroes.—"There," says he, "the market is good and certain, and produce may be taken down the Missis