ur hostess, Madame P----t, who is an
accomplished musician, sang some duets with Count S---- in excellent
taste; and we had Mrs. W----gs' harp in perfection. She is certainly the
best lady harpist I ever heard; her taste and feeling are both good, her
execution certain and brilliant, and her touch nearly as firm, if not
quite so vigorous, as Bochsa's, whose pupil indeed she is; and infinite
credit does she do her master.

Is it that music is more cultivated as a science in Philadelphia, or
that I have chanced to light upon a more musical circle here than it
has been my fortune to encounter elsewhere? Certain it is, I have not,
in the other great cities, met any women whose musical education appears
so exceedingly good, though a love for the art, I should say, is general
throughout the country.

_28th._--At seven A.M. left Chestnut-street for Baltimore. Whilst
steering through the waters of the Chesapeake, perceived a large steamer
standing right for us, with a signal flying. Learned that this was the
Columbus, bound for Norfolk, Virginia, for which place we had several
passengers, who were now to be transhipped to the approaching vessel.

We were out in the open bay, with half a gale of wind blowing, and some
sea on; it therefore became a matter of interest to observe how two
large ships of this class would approach each other.

The way they managed this ticklish affair was really admirable: before
we neared, I observed the Norfolk ship was laid head to wind, and just
enough way kept on to steer her; our ship held on her course, gradually
lessening her speed, until, as she approached the Columbus, it barely
sufficed to lay and keep her alongside, when they fell together, gangway
to gangway: warps were immediately passed, and made secure at both head
and stern; and in a minute the huge vessels became as one.

Here was no want of help; the luggage and the passengers were ready at
the proper station, so that in a handful of minutes the transfer was
completed without bustle or alarm. Meantime the interest of this novel
scene was greatly increased by the coming up of the inward-bound
Norfolk-man, which flitted close by us amidst the roar occasioned by the
escaping steam of the vessels lying-to, a noise that might have drowned
the voice of Niagara.

As we thus lay together, I noticed that the upper or promenade deck of
the Columbus was completely taken up by a double row of flashy-looking
covered carts, or tilt-waggons,