Impressions of America During the Years 1833, 1834 and 1835. Volume 2 (of 2)Power, Tyrone
History
Impressions of America During the Years 1833, 1834 and 1835. Volume 2 (of 2)
Power, Tyrone
Canada -- Description and travel; United States -- Description and travel
The hotel here was remarkably neat and clean; we procured an excellent
cup of tea, and next morning found a most substantial breakfast. After
seeing the population assemble for church, and walking about the banks
of the river, which are very beautiful, we about noon set out for our
final destination, over a villanous, rough road, reached Rhode Island,
by the long substantial causeway connecting it with the main land, and
from this point we had a good turnpike, pulling up at Newport by two
o'clock.
The public dinner was already over, being Sabbath; but the proprietor of
our hotel, a worthy Quaker named Potter, got us a very comfortable meal
at five o'clock, according to our wishes: meantime we rid ourselves of
the accumulated dust of two days, and were comfortably established in
out-quarters, the hotel being full.
NEWPORT.
RHODE ISLAND.
The appearance of Newport is much less imposing, as approached by land,
than when viewed from the noble harbour over which it looks. It consists
of one long line of close-built, narrow streets running parallel with
the water about the base of the steep hill, with many others climbing up
its side. It is indifferently paved, and has a very light soil; so that
upon the least land-breeze the lower town is filled with the dust, which
is blown about in clouds.
Before the revolution, Newport was a city of comparative importance, and
indeed, whilst the importation of slaves continued a part of the trade
of the country, held its own with the most thriving cities of the east
coast, through the great advantage it derived from its easy harbour,
but with the abolition of that traffic came the downfall of its
prosperity; for having no back country by the exportation of whose
produce it might sustain itself, it was speedily deserted by the
mercantile community, and its carrying trade usurped by Providence,
although the latter is situated some thirty miles higher up the river. A
railroad from Boston through the wealthy manufacturing districts might
nevertheless, I should imagine, bestow upon this place the supremacy
which the difficulty of land-carriage alone has withheld from it.
Its great natural advantage to visitors is the charming climate with
which it is favoured, owing to its being on all sides surrounded by deep
water: this is a point that cannot be changed by a decree in Congress,
or removed by order of the Board of Trade, and likely to be of more use
to the place, if made the most of, than the dockyard and depot which
they seek to establish.
If the English plan was adopted, and small snug cottages built and
furnished for the use of families resorting here, these families would
naturally quit the arks in which they are now congregated, and live each
after the manner of its kind, as all wise animals do; in which case, I
cannot anywhere imagine a more charming abode, or one possessing
superior advantages.
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account