Six Months in America. (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1832. Excerpt: ... him through the river, and arrived safely on the other side with the letter-bags. Within a mile or two of Dunnsburg, are some Indian tumuli; but I did not stop to see them. I travelled onward through a most delightful country, abounding in black-oak; the bark of which is sent down the river, and shipped off in great quantities for England, where it is used in dying. I enjoyed a very fine view from the hill over which the road passes near Moncey; but I afterwards saw the same prospect to much greater advantage, from Northumberland. This place contains about two thousand inhabitants, and is most delightfully situated on the neck of land that separates the northern and western branches of the Susquehanna. The celebrated Dr. Priestley spent the latter years of his life in this place. He died about twenty-five years ago. I was assured by an old and intimate friend of his, who was with him but a few minutes before he died, that there was great foundation for a prevalent belief, that for some months previously to his death, he changed his opinions in favour of the divinity of Christ. Good land, in a state of cultivation, is worth twenty, thirty, forty, or even a hundred dollars the acre, in this part of the country. The average profits of land amount to twelve and a half per cent. Thirty bushels of wheat is a good crop. The wages of the married labourer are fifteen dollars a month (the United States dollar is equal to 4s. 6d.). Single men, who board at the house of their employer, receive but ten. Wherever I made inquiry, I found the rate of labourers' wages to be much the same throughout the States. I crossed the western branch of the Susquehanna by a new and handsome wooden bridge, built as usual on stone piers. Its length was 1316 feet, and it cost 70,000 dol...