Let us now take a view of this interesting colony. The site is obviously well chosen on a good soil, rather elevated, and at a sufficient distance from the low grounds near the river for {129} the advantage of a healthy air: the streets are of spacious width crossing each other at right angles, and lined with Lombardy poplars: the houses, which at leisure are to be replaced by others of more durable materials, are at present log cottages of a pleasing picturesque plan, and very neatly thatched; to each is attached a garden, a yard, a shed, and out-house for the cow and other purposes, the whole having an air of great comfort. Near the inn in a square open space stands the church, which, though formed of wood and boarded, is a handsome large building. On one side this square is the house of the pastor, the materials of good brick. It is large, and finished in the best style of workmanship. Of the same material they have also built a spacious store which contains articles of grocery, hardware, and indeed every thing that the inhabitants of the surrounding country require, and with these it seemed to carry on great business: this store is guarded with close iron-barred windows, and its general appearance corresponding, I inquired what occasion _they_ had for a prison? This caution is no compliment to the honesty of the settlers around. A large steam mill is at work constantly, where they grind corn, card wool, saw boards, &c.: they have also thrashing machines of great power and indeed {130} a vast variety of other machinery; they dye cloth pretty well: there are buildings ample for school instruction, and in short, (for, to enumerate every thing would require a long residence among them,) they seem to possess every comfort. The vines were loaded with beautiful ripe grapes both black and white; and they were fast covering the hills of sandy soil in the neighbourhood with new vineyards. It was the Indian-corn harvest, and the young women and children, standing in a large circle, were employed in stripping off the leaves and throwing the cobs into baskets, which the men carried into the barns on willing shoulders. We contemplated this scene with much pleasure and then proceeded to take a view of the country around the settlement; which we found cleared to great extent, and sown with wheat looking luxuriantly and promising abundance. [Illustration: The Church at Harmonie]