Alida; or, Miscellaneous Sketches of Incidents During the Late American War.

by Frank V. Webster

  CHAPTER XXVII.

  Revolving years have since rolled on apace, Since patriots here, convened to form we're told, The school to train the military band, And Putnam's fortress still we may behold.

  The season was now far advanced. Alida and her brother felt uneasy atbeing so long separated from their father. The rest of the party wereanxious again to see their friends in the city. After tarrying a fewdays at Forsyth's Hotel, they determined to proceed on their way backagain to New-York without delay.

  They therefore concluded to travel soon, and visit Lake Champlain to itssouthern extremity, then to Saratoga, Albany, taking the Catskillmountains by the way, and inspecting the famous military school of WestPoint.

  The greatest breadth of Lake Champlain, which contains several largeislands, is six miles. The shore on the right, belonging to the state ofNew-York, is low and covered with trees; the other belongs to Vermont,and is more mountainous. As night approached, they were prevented frombeholding this beautiful part of the country; and were also, withregret, prevented from seeing the battle-ground of Plattsburgh, at whichtown the vessel made a short stay during the night, and then proceededto Burlington, in Vermont, and towards morning passed by the ruins ofFort Crown Point, which lie on a hill.

  At this place the Lake is very narrow, and resembles a river. The shoresare generally covered with bushes and pine trees, are hilly, and afforda pleasing prospect. They now pursued their journey as far as LakeGeorge, and arrived at the village of Caldwell. The shores of the Lakeare very hilly, the heights are all covered with trees, and are notabove eight hundred feet high. There are several islands in the lake,generally covered with wood, and the scenery around is very handsome.The level of the lake is about three hundred feet higher than that ofLake Champlain. The stream which flows from the former into the latterlake, forms, in its course, a succession of small cascades.

  They left Caldwell at eight o'clock the next day, in two inconvenientcarriages, and passed through a very uninteresting, deep, sandy road, ina hilly part of the country, covered with thorny trees, on their routeto Saratoga Springs, to which the whole fashionable world of the UnitedStates repair in summer, and the fashionables have here the same maniawhich prevails in other countries, to visit the baths in summer, whethersick or well. The distance is twenty-seven miles. On their passage wasseen but one interesting object, the Hudson falls, which river they hadleft at Albany, and reached again nine miles from Caldwell, coming fromthe west.

  These falls are, however, under the name of Glenn's Falls. A village ofthe same name is built in their vicinity, on the rocky shores of theriver. The principal fall is forty feet high. These falls are not to benumbered among the largest, but among the handsomest in the UnitedStates. A constant mist arises from them, and, as the sun shone verybrilliantly, several rainbows were seen at the same time. In the rock,as at Niagara, were some remarkable and deep cavities. At the base ofthe small island which divides the chief fall into two parts,a remarkable cave appears below the falls, leading to the other side ofthe rock. The Hudson is partly navigable above Glenn's Falls, and twomiles farther up, feeds a navigable canal, with thirteen locks, whichruns seven miles north of the Hudson, and there joins Champlain canal.

  The party arrived at Saratoga at two o'clock in the afternoon, andstopped at Congress Hall. The greater part of the company had alreadydeparted, among those who remained was the governor of the state ofNew-York. They were introduced to his Excellency. The gentlemenconversed with him freely, and found him intelligible and refined, andscientific in his conversation.

  In the evening the company assemble in the large hall in the lowerstory, and pass away the time in music, dancing or conversation, wherethey witness all the politeness, refinement, and hospitality thatcharacterize the Americans.

  The waters of the different springs are generally drank, but baths arealso erected. High Rock spring flows from a white conical lime-stonerock, five feet high. The water is seen in this spring in constantagitation. So much fixed air escapes from it, that an animal held overit, as in the Grotto del Cane, near Naples, cannot live above half aminute.

  In a few days they left Saratoga Springs, in a convenient stage, to goto Albany, thirty-six miles distant. They passed through a disagreeableand sandy country. The uniformity was, however, very pleasinglyinterrupted by Saratoga Lake, which is eight miles long.

  At the small town of Waterford they passed along the left shore of theHudson on a long wooden bridge, to avoid a bad bridge over the Mohawk.They proceeded on their route in the night on a very good road, andpassed through Lansingburgh and Troy. The latter is very handsomelybuilt, and many stores were very well lighted up in the evening. Herethey returned to the right shore of the Hudson, and reached Albany atten o'clock at night.

  At eight o'clock next morning they took passage on board the steam-boat,to go down the river as far as the town of Catskill, at the foot of PineOrchard. The company ascended the mountain, which is twelve miles high,in stages. They reached Pine Orchard a little before sunset. Thebuilding on the mountain for the accommodation of visiters, is asplendid establishment. Alida was truly delighted with the landscape itpresented in miniature; where large farms appeared like garden spots,and the Hudson a rivulet, and where sometimes the clouds were seenfloating beneath the eye of the spectator.

  The next morning they again took the steam-boat at Catskill to go toHudson, twenty-seven and a half miles from Albany, which they reachedabout noon. This city appears very handsome and lively. On the oppositeside of the river is Athens, between which and Hudson there seems to bemuch communication kept up by a team-boat. A very low island in themiddle of the stream between the two places, rendered this communicationsomewhat difficult at first, as vessels were obliged to make a greatcircuit. To avoid this inconvenience, a canal was cut through theisland, through which the team-boat now passes with ease and rapidity.

  This place affords a very fine view of the lofty Catskill mountains.They left the city of Hudson in the afternoon, and arrived at West Pointat eleven o'clock at night, on the right side of the Hudson, and landedat a wharf furnished with a sentry-box. An artillerist stood sentinel.They were obliged to ascend a somewhat steep road in order to reach thehouse which is prepared for the reception of strangers. The buildingbelongs to the government, and is designed for the mess-room of theofficers and cadets. The purveyor for this table is bound by contractwith the government to keep several chambers with beds in order for thereception of the relations of the cadets.

  The morning after their arrival, the gentlemen paid an early visit tolieutenant-colonel Thayer, superintendent of the military school, andwere received in a very friendly manner. He had presided over thisschool several years. Colonel Thayer has entirely remodelled thisinstitution, and very much improved it.

  The cadets, whose number may amount to two hundred and fifty, aredivided into four classes for the purposes of instruction. They arereceived between the ages of fourteen and twenty, and must undergo anexamination before they enter.

  Instruction is communicated gratuitously to the cadets, each of whomreceives monthly eight dollars from government as wages.

  A public examination of the cadets takes place every year at the end ofJune, by a commission appointed by the Secretary of War. This commissionconsists of staff officers from the army and navy, members of Congress,governors of states, learned men and other distinguished citizens. Afterthis examination, the best among those who have finished their courseare appointed as officers in the army.

  The cadets live in two large massive buildings, three stories high, andare divided into four companies. The institution possesses fourprincipal buildings. The two largest serve as barracks for the cadets,a third contains the mess-room, and the fourth the church. A large levelspace, consisting of several acres, lies in front of the buildings,forming a peninsula, and commanding the navigation of the Hudson, abovewhich it is elevated one hundred and eighty-eight feet. Towards theriver it is surrounded by steep rocks, so that it is difficult t
oascend, unless by the usual way.

  The party now ascended the rocky mountain on which are to be seen theruins of Fort Putnam. The way led through a handsome forest of oak,beech, chestnut and walnut trees. The fort occupying the summit of themountain, was erected in an indented form, of strong granite, and isaltogether inaccessible on the side next the enemy. It had but a singleentrance, with very strong casemates. It was built on private propertyduring the revolution; the owner of the ground claimed it, andgovernment were obliged to restore it. The government afterwardsacquired the ground on which West Point stands, as well as the adjoiningheights.

  A very fine view one may have from Fort Putnam of the plains of WestPoint and of the Hudson river. The view to the north is particularlyhandsome, in which direction Newburgh, lying on the river, is seen inthe back ground.

  A band of music, paid by the government, belongs exclusively to thecadets, and is said to afford the best military music in the UnitedStates.

  The party generally regretted leaving this agreeable place, where theyhad been highly gratified during their short stay. They took passage onboard the steamboat Constitution, bound to New-York, sixty milesdistant.

  They were now again on their way to one of the most flourishing citiesin the United States, which attracts a great part of the commerce of theAmerican nation. They came into the vicinity about sunset, and at eighto'clock in the evening they landed in New-York. Leaving their friends inthe city, Albert and his sister took passage in a stage coach nextmorning, and journeyed in a short time as far as the village of ----,and from thence proceeded on to the residence of their father.