Faux's Memorable Days in America, 1819-20; and Welby's Visit to North America, 1819-20, part 2 (1820)Faux, W. (William)
History
Faux's Memorable Days in America, 1819-20; and Welby's Visit to North America, 1819-20, part 2 (1820)
Faux, W. (William)
United States -- Description and travel
9th. For two days past it has rained and froze as it fell; the trees,
the ships, buildings, {200} &c. are all incrusted with icicles: the
strongest branches of the trees are every minute giving way and falling
under their loads. A ship at one of the wharfs, being neglected came
down, broke her masts against the wharf and the hull was sunk. In the
country the scene is brilliant and beautiful beyond description: a
letter from the neighbourhood says, "the spruce, the pine, and the
cedar, are coated with transparency, their limbs bending in every
fantastic shape, whilst the rich dark green of their leaves shows to
double advantage through the brilliant covering; the twigs of the yellow
willow may be compared to amber set in crystal; the red maple, and the
large berries of the sweet-briar, seem covered with pendant diamonds;
the trees at a distance appear to be loaden with blossoms, white,
glittering, and brilliant; but no description can convey an adequate
idea of the 'fairy frost-work.'"
_April_ 2d. As memoranda relative to the climate must be particularly
interesting to those who may think of emigrating, I notice, that this
day a heavy snow is falling, wind N. N. E.,--the Thermometer at eight
o'clock A. M., exposed in shade, 37° of Fahrenheit; yesterday it was
above temperate, but the two days before at the above hour of the
morning, as low as 31° and 32°: the apricots and other trees which have
already put {201} forth blossoms, must have been injured and many of the
trees will probably be killed. In consequence of these sudden extremes
of temperature, garden cultivation is difficult and uncertain, and the
market produce much higher than in England; a dollar is frequently given
for a cauliflower, and a quarter dollar (13-1/2d.) is considered a low
price; for a common cabbage I was asked nine cents (about 5d.,) and most
other vegetables bear a proportionate price.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account