7th. Much pleased with the scenery during the passage down the Delaware; on its beautiful Pensilvania side many of the houses appeared to be placed in delightful situations: as we floated {30} along the Sturgeon was seen frequently darting upwards at the insects on the surface; he is a fish but little valued here, either because his flavour is not so good as it is with us, or perhaps a _royal_ fish suits not republican palates. The spot where Penn first landed in search of a site for his intended city was pointed out as we passed; and soon after came in view PHILADELPHIA, presenting by no means so favourable a coup d'oeil as New York had done. PHILADELPHIA Of this city I shall say little at present, but hasten the western journey. Having both read and been told of streets with clear water running along the channels, and of trees planted on each side, affording a pleasing shade during the heat of summer, I confess a great disappointment at finding but very few trees, and no water but green stinking puddles! Indeed, for the credit of New York, I must say that their Board of Health is more active, or the people themselves are more cleanly; for, there no stinks assaulted our noses equal to those we met with here: walking in these streets under the influence of a hot burning sun I have {31} met with the putrifying carcass of a dead dog; from the stench of which I have ran off, while the natives were passing it without notice! We need not then be at a loss to account for their fevers. Away from the wharfs the streets are in general good, well paved, and laid with fine broad causeways of brick: the handsome flights of marble steps to the doors would look still better if well polished; the marble is white with blue veins, of a good kind, and comes by water about sixty miles, at a cheap rate. During the hot season, mineral waters, (chiefly soda,) sometimes mixed with syrups, are drank in great abundance;--the first thing every American who can afford five cents (about threepence) takes, on rising in the morning, is a glass of soda water: many houses are open for the sale of it, and some of them are fitted up with Parisian elegance. Being so attached to water potations it is not surprising that these people should stand in more than usual dread of canine madness; they are dog-mad without being bit: such is the rage against the canine species that carts are sent round the town both here and at New York every two or three days, attended by fellows armed with bludgeons and spears, with which they kill every dog they meet, and receive I am informed a dollar for each. I had a fine Bull-dog put an {32} end to in this manner, for which fifty dollars had been offered since my arrival; the cold blooded wretches first enticed him, as I heard, towards them, and when he, not knowing fear, came up to be caressed, they despatched him with spears and bludgeons. For this I obtained no redress.