JOURNAL.

NEW YORK, SATURDAY, JUNE 21st, 1800.

5 P. M. Embarked on board the Sloop Sally, Captain Peter Donnelly, seventy tons, four hands, viz. the Captain, his brother Andrew, John, who was on board Admiral De Winter's Ship on the memorable 11th October, 1797, and Nicholas, a free black acting as steward, cook, cabin-boy, &c. had purchased his own freedom and that of his wife, hoping soon to effect that of his children; performs well on the violin, and is very smart. Twenty-four passengers, not births for more than half. Passage two dollars each. Board and liquors, as may happen. Principal passengers, General Alleser, of New York, violent democrat; Caul, of

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Seratoga, ditto; Mr. Mousley, warm aristocrat and federalist; Mr. Putnam, Mr. Williams, Lieutenant Kipp, all three federalists; the youth Octavius, son of Timothy Pickering, Esq. late Secretary of State, under the care of Messrs. Williams and Putnam, both relations of Mr. Pickering; Jonas, of Montreal, Grocer: of Michillimackinac; a drunken, Scotch Presbyterian Minister; Mr. Sanger, &c. &c. four raft-men, and a man and his wife from Staten Island.

7 P. M. Unmoored; fine S. E. breeze; ten knots.

8 P. M. Breeze slackened.

Midnight; cast anchor twenty-five miles from New York, entrance of Tappan Bay, not wind to stem the ebb. In the night, severe storm of thunder, lightning and rain. Not finding a birth unoccupied, or scarcely one that did not contain two persons, the Captain gave me his own state room.*

* Hudson River-rises in a mountainous Country, between the lakes Ontario and Champlain; whole length two hundred and fifty miles. Albany to Lake George sixty-five miles, navigable for Batteaux, exclusive of two portages of half a mile each. Tide flows a few miles above Albany, which is one hundred and sixty miles from New York; navigable for Sloops of eighty tons to Albany, and for Ships to Hudson. Sixty miles above New York water becomes fresh. Morse, 2nd Edition, published 1797.

SUNDAY, JUNE 22d.

5 A. M. Turned out, got under weigh: Tappan Bay,* or Sea, five miles wide and ten long; extremities marked by two remarkable high bluffs;† scarcely a breath of air; fog on the high banks of the bay; heavy rain; fell calm when opposite to Tarry-Town.t

* Tappan Sea-ten miles long and four wide. On the south side fine quarries of reddish free-stone, used for buildings and grave-stones, and are a source of great wealth to the proprietors.

Steep-Rocks, a curious ledge of perpendicular shaley rocks, which form the west bank of the Hudson River, with some interruptions, for twelve miles from the Tappan Sea, to within eleven miles of New York. Some of these ledges are from one hundred and fifty to two hundred feet high. As you pass down the river, from the Tappan Sea to these rocks, the prospect on every side is enchanting. On the north of the Tappan Sea a fine broad Bay opens to view, skirted with high hills; on the south the River lies under the eye as far as it distinguishes objects; on the west are the Steep-Rocks; and on the east a fine cultivated country. Morse.

Morse describes the Tappan Sea to be wider than HaverstrawBay, which, in fact, is not the case, nor is it so represented in any modern map. He says Haverstraw-Bay is three miles wide:-it is more; I was informed it was six miles. Truth, 'tis said, cannot lie; but I say that it does lie, generally between extremes. Tappan, four miles from the west bank of the Hudson. Major André, adjutant-general of the British army, suffered here as a spy, October 2d, 1780. Morse.

+ I recognized in the Bluff (Teller's-point) separating Tappan from Haverstraw-bay, the original of a sketch done by Major André, with pen and ink, the night before his capture.

Tarry-Town, a considerable village, thirty miles north of New York; here Major André was taken. Morse.

10 A. M. Sun broke out and light airs from the north; beat slowly through the Tappan to Haverstraw-Bay,* six miles wide, ten long. Stakes in the river for the convenience of taking Shad. Sturgeons constantly leaping out of the water. Shewn the field from whence the three youths first descried Major André: and the large whitewood tree under which he was examined.†

2 P. M. Cast anchor; took boat and landed at the ferry-house opposite to Mount Pleasant, thirty-six miles from New York; river here four miles wide. Climbed the mountains to visit a lake on its opposite side; large, considerably above the level of the Hudson; pike, yellow bass, and sun-fish. Strawberries on its banks. Much chat with Betsy, who, born at the foot of the mountain and apparently secluded from the world, said she had been a great traveller, once to the meeting and twice to the mill."

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7 P. M. Got under weigh; light airs from the north; progress trifling. Came to an anchor in

* Haverstraw-Bay, thirty-eight miles above New York; ten miles long and three wide; spreads south of Stoney-point. Morse.

The White-wood, or Tulip-tree, was destroyed by lightning on the 31st of July, 1801, the very day that the news arrived at Tarry-Town of General Arnold's death; a most singular coincidence. This tree was one hundred and eleven feet in height; the trunk twenty-six feet in circumference at the base; the diameter of its branches was one hundred and six feet. Balt. Fed. Gazette for Aug. 25, 1801.