s made cities spring up amidst the forests with such
inconceivable rapidity; and could they once be thoroughly
persuaded that any point of the ocean had a hoard of dollars
beneath it, I have not the slightest doubt that in about eighteen
months we should see a snug covered rail-road leading direct to
the spot.

I was told at New York, that in many parts of the state it was
usual to pay the service of the Presbyterian ministers in the
following manner. Once a year a day is fixed, on which some
member of every family in a congregation meet at their minister's
house in the afternoon. They each bring an offering (according
to their means) of articles necessary for housekeeping. The
poorer members leave their contributions in a large basket,
placed for the purpose, close to the door of entrance. Those of
more importance, and more calculated to do honour to the piety of
the donors, are carried into the room where the company is
assembled. Sugar, coffee, tea, cheese, barrels of flour, pieces
of Irish linen, sets of china and of glass, were among the
articles mentioned to me as usually making parts of these
offerings. After the party is assembled, and the business of
giving and receiving is dispatched, tea, coffee, and cakes are
handed round; but these are not furnished at any expense either
of trouble or money to the minster, for selected ladies of the
congregation take the whole arrangement upon themselves. These
meetings are called spinning visits.

Another New York custom, which does not seem to have so
reasonable a cause, is the changing house once a year. On the
1st of May the city of New York has the appearance of sending off
a population flying from the plague, or of a town which had
surrendered on condition of carrying away all their goods and
chattels. Rich furniture and ragged furniture, carts, waggons,
and drays, ropes, canvas, and straw, packers, porters, and
draymen, white, yellow, and black, occupy the streets from east
to west, from north to south, on this day. Every one I spoke to
on the subject complained of this custom as most annoying, but
all assured me it was unavoidable, if you inhabit a rented house.
More than one of my New York friends have built or bought houses
solely to avoid this annual inconvenience.

There are a great number of negroes in New York, all free; their
emancipation having been completed in 1827. Not even in
Philadelphia, where the anti-slavery opinions have been th