Diary in America, Series One. Фредерик Марриет

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ inland seas whose coasts are now lined with flourishing towns and cities, and whose waters are ploughed by magnificent steam-boats, and hundreds of vessels laden with merchandise. Even the Americans themselves are not fully aware of the rising importance of these Lakes as connected with the West. Since the completion of the Ohio Canal, which enters the Lake Erie at Cleveland, that town has risen almost as rapidly as Buffalo. It is beautifully situated. It is about six years back that it may be said to have commenced its start, and it now contains more than ten thousand inhabitants. The buildings are upon the same scale as those of Buffalo, and it is conjectured with good reason, that it will become even a larger city than the other, as the ice breaks up here and the navigation is open in the spring, six weeks sooner than it is at Buffalo; abreast of which town the ice is driven down and collected, previous to its forcing its passage over the falls.

      Erie, which was the American naval depôt during the war, has a fine bay, but it is now falling into insignificance: it has a population of about one thousand.

      Sandusky is a fast-rising town, beautifully situated upon the verge of a small prairie; it is between Sandusky and Huron that the prairie lands commence. The bay of Sandusky is very picturesque, being studded with small verdant islands. On one of these are buried in the same grave all those who fell in the hard-fought battle of the Lakes, between Perry and Barclay, both of whom have since followed their companions.

      Toledo is the next town of consequence on the Lake. It is situated at the mouth of the Miami River; and as a railroad has already been commenced across the isthmus, so as to avoid going round the whole peninsula of Michigan, it is fast rising into importance. Three years ago the land was purchased at a dollar and a-half per acre; now, it is selling for building lots at one hundred dollars per foot. They handed me a paper printed in this town called “The Toledo Blade;” a not inappropriate title, though rather a bold one for an editor to write up to, as his writings ought to be very sharp, and, at the same time, extremely well-tempered.

      The American government have paid every attention to their inland waters. The harbours, light-houses, piers, etcetera, have all been built at the expense of government, and every precaution has been taken to make the navigation of the Lakes as safe as possible.

      In speaking of the new towns rising so fast in America, I wish the reader to understand that, if he compares them with the country towns of the same population in England, he will not do them. In the smaller towns of England you can procure but little, and you have to send to London for any thing good: in the larger towns, such as Norwich, etcetera, you may procure most things; but, still, luxuries must usually be obtained from the metropolis. But in such places as Buffalo and Cleveland, every thing is to be had that you can procure at New York or Boston. In those two towns on Lake Erie are stores better furnished, and handsomer, than any shops at Norwich, in England; and you will find, in either of them, articles for which, at Norwich, you would be obliged to send to London. It is the same thing at almost every town in America with which communication is easy. Would you furnish a house in one of them, you will find every article of furniture—carpets, stoves, grates, marble chimney-pieces, pier-glasses, pianos, lamps, candelabra, glass, china, etcetera, in twice the quantity, and in greater variety, than at any provincial town in England.

      This arises from the system of credit extended through every vein and artery of the country, and by which English goods are forced, as if with a force-pump, into every available depôt in the Union; and thus, in a town so newly raised, that the stumps of the forest-trees are not only still surrounding the houses, but remain standing in the cellars, you will find every luxury that can be required. It may be asked what becomes of all these goods. It must be recollected that hundreds of new houses spring up every year in the towns, and that the surrounding country is populous and wealthy. In the farmhouses—mean-looking and often built of logs—is to be found not only comfort, but very often luxury.

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wBDAAMCAgMCAgMDAwMEAwMEBQgFBQQEBQoHBwYIDAoMDAsK CwsNDhIQDQ4RDgsLEBYQERMUFRUVDA8XGBYUGBIUFRT/2wBDAQMEBAUEBQkFBQkUDQsNFBQUFBQU FBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBT/wAARCAWgA4QDASIA AhEBAxEB/8QAHgAAAQQDAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAABQMEBgcBAggJAAr/xABcEAABAwIFAwMBBQYEBQEB Ah8BAgMEBREABgcSIRMxQRQiUWEIFTJxgQkWI0KRoVKxwdEXJDPh8GLxU3KCGCU0Q5KDoqOyJjVE Y3OTNlRVZJSzwtNGZXR1lbTS/8QAGwEAAgMBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgMAAQQFBgf/xABGEQABAwIE BAIIBgEDAwMEAAcBAAIRAyEEEjFBEyIyUWHwFCNCcYGRobEFM1LB0eEkQ2LxFTRTBnKSRGOColTS JeIWssL/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/APN+ilKZqVOubWzfcScIz3krkq2Hc34wnIeR7enYDzYWwkgpKxu5 HnHYc4tBpTadUod0+o6mlSem+4GmlDkn5wnOBTKcAVvQCQlQ7W8YQcRZRKRYeMOIklpKVh9G8m23 6YHMXAU5sppdOos0JhrStY3i+wHDBtRQvcFEK73xr35w53sCHbb/ABvm3i+IXmoACdAqiE+lz1OQ xtcBcIG7aecJUiQtqY3tVtSo2Vc8W83wwQrkYIz3IrqEIipCTf32Ta+DNQvOcnRVEWT2tyi500tO BTJvcpPBPxhbLc706ZCXXAloAbSs8A/GG9EpxStb8jaIiU2Wpf4SfAHyfyw1qbra5RLIT0AAE7RY fXBcQzxvp52Uj2UXqVaqCHSkPuNsgAt9NVgfrx3w/aqi36e2qQ6kylIJAUeVfB/XDXK9aajQH40z p7FKu2Fo3FPHJ7cYj8kL9S4XDuWpRII5v8WxBVLDnmZ27KomywmW+l/rdRXWve9+b4klSqJXTlll 1PXAG8IPKfnDHfGXAKCpsTtlrgck/F/m2BMUqakoKTtIUDc9h+eKDjSETM/T+1NUQoc11ieiyz0z fqbjxb5OHuYKgXm2gw6Cyb7i2rufg4Z1uTFeQBD2hO66whO2/wAH8sIUSQ1Hl75G3oFJCgoXB/TE ktHCB13VRPMieXJJS28H3AGhbapavPwL4YVqU65UHB1D0022WPFvnGK081IlBUe3pwkBISLAHzxh WkSYrDKkzAk+66ApO6wxMxcOFOm6kRzIxSJ6futBddT6ix2hShdXxiMiXJ9V1C4vrbvJ5vfthN67 j6yedyiQR5Hi2DiZUUQAgKb+8OnbcRzf8/nELjVgTEfX+1Iy/FGajPKIDojrSZSUXKUkEpPnjCeR XJFRqRZkOLci7FKcUs3COOD9OcRWmqdZqLK0ApWhYJKv5bd74sDMVYi1fLi26Y6jqhYU+00napaf n6i9sWahfz6Rt3QZYsgueHDEW03Ee3RlE7lIPcjxcYQyvKdcjSEvOHooI2qWex8i+GeXWiHJCnwE xNtldUe0m/Hf9cbZib6hYVHSFQ9tk9Ie0Kvz284LMfzvp52Uj2FvmCTKE8IbcW20lIKNpsD9cSCn rdep8ZT/AA+UXsr

СКАЧАТЬ