latter.

By the time we reached Pocassett it was nearly dark, and here we
settled for the night, having driven the ponies fifty odd miles, without
their being in the least distressed, and on a day of no ordinary fervor.

In the evening we attended a book sale, and were much amused by the
volubility and humour of the Yankee salesman, who, with his coat off in
a close crowded room, lectured upon the merits of the authors he
offered, whether poetical, religious, historical, mathematical, or
political, with equal ease and grace, greatly to the edification of the
bystanders. The editions were chiefly American, made to sell, and thus
exceedingly cheap. History and novels appeared to be the literature in
demand; and Walter Scott, Byron, and Bulwer, the names most familiar in
the verbal catalogue galloped over by the "learned gentleman," as our
auctioneer advertisements have it.

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 advan