of the Hudson.

In the middle distance lies the city, looking as though it floated deep
upon the bosom of the ready waters that encompass it about. It is
happier in its place of rest than most Dutch towns, and well merited the
name of New Amsterdam, given it by its founders. The ground it covers
was at one time divided into hill and dale; but with eyes wide open to
business, and close sealed against taste, the conscript fathers of our
infant Rome shaved smooth every ant-hill that rose in their path, and to
their inheritors have bequeathed a love of their trim lines of beauty,
for they are proceeding on the levelling system with a worthy
pains-taking that will in due time render the whole island as flat as a
tulip-bed.

The passage up the Raritan or Amboy Creek, between Staten Island and the
main, is uninteresting enough; the channel reminding one very much of
the left bank of the Thames about Erith,--swampy levels, with flat
barges, and river-side public houses. The village of Perth Amboy is the
first attractive object; it is built upon the face of a hill rising
gently from the water, and is well shaded, looking healthy, fresh, and
neat. Here the steamer stops for a minute to land or receive passengers,
and then makes for Amboy landing, about a couple of miles distant. Here
we left our boat, and were immediately transferred to the cars of the
new railroad connecting the Raritan with the Delaware, and pursued our
way to Bordentown, through a dreary, barren-looking country, whose only
attractions were occasional orchards of a most fruitful kind, if one
might judge by the plenteous gathering already in progress. In many
places were piled up little mountains of apples, destined chiefly for
the cider press.

The loco-motives not being in condition to do duty, the horses occupied
as yet their legitimate station, going at the rate of about eight miles
per hour.

Near the entrance to Bordentown, the present mansion of the ex-king of
Spain was pointed out: it does not appear to be very happily located,
but commands, I understand, an extensive view of the broad Delaware, and
affords room enough to bustle in, even for one whose domain was once
royal.

Here we once more embarked; and hence to Philadelphia the Delaware is a
broad placid stream, with low banks of alternate wood and meadow, having
sprinkled along them numbers of well-built houses of all sizes, from
the shingle cottage to the imposing-looking mansion with its lo