Page:American Historical Review, Volume 12.djvu/94

84 Documents many beautiful! prospects in this passage, particularly when going up the river that it wou'd be difficult to do justice to them, the channel has several well cultivated Islands, and tho when arriv'd in the river the Banks are very steep and high, the rapid rise of the lands contiguous presents a very picturesque view on every side, which is bounded (on rounding the point) by the town, which lays under the hills, it is well built, and as it owes its rise to the fall of Newport every thing looks fresh and wears- an air of business, it is as large as Newport and has several good buildings, but like that mostly of wood, the river divides the town, but is connected by a bridge ; I observ'd both here and at Newport that they are very curious in the spires of the churches, on an eminence (where there has been a fortifycation) above the town is a most extensive and beautifull prospect of the whole of the town, the sea, the Islands, and circumjacent lands on the continent. we went from hence about 8 oClock the next morning, in the stage, and got to Boston at 6 oClock in the afternoon, stopping half way to dine, the distance is 45 Miles, the road pretty good, and the coun- try finely varied, there were several 'illiages we pass'd through and some beautifull farms ornamented with fine fruit trees, and having plenty of trout Streams ; most of this country is in pasture, tho' they have some Arable land; there are several handsome country seats just before one comes to Roxburgh which is only a Mile from the Neck. Boston is not so big as new York, and where it not for the causeway or Neck wou'd be an Island, it is mostly built on the ground contiguous to the Harbour, so that it extends very long, behind are several hills on one of which is a Column bearing a very proper Inscription, from hence is a complete view of the Town, and circumjacent country; there is a Mill pond which covers a considerable space of ground and which being easily draind wou'd afford Room for a fine square or other buildings, the Streets are pritty good, tho the pavement wants mend- ing, and the foot way broad stones, those it at present is pav'd with being very rough and pointed, most of the houses are of wood, but some of them are very neat, as yet t"hey have no lamps which is very in- convinient for the nightwalkers. the Churches and Meetings are all very handsome, and that intolerance which they were once so famous for is now no more and I was present at the social meetings, of the Catholick, the Protestant Bishops and Divines, the Clergy are very numerous. I was told 150 were invited to the publick dinner the Govr.' gave on the day of his being again rechosen into the Government, the Quays are very convenient, and distributed all along the Harbour, the long Quay is handsome, and is. the property of several individuals, they have begun several manufactories, that for Sail Duck is counted a valuable acquisition to the state, it employing a number of females on a very liberal footing; and furnishing that article in greater per- fection than they cou'd import it. they are encouraging for that pur- ' Hancock.